Spotlight on… Rachel Munro, Regional Controller, Finance, UK  

1. What’s the most courageous thing you’ve ever done? 

Moving to London after three years of being back in Cardiff after University.  I did a 6-week secondment from the Cardiff to the London office with KPMG and they offered me a full-time transfer at the end of it.  I’d settled back into life in Wales and staying there would have been the easier option.  But, I’ve never regretted making the move.  

2. What is your favourite meal and where would you most like to eat it? 

Living in central London we have some fantastic restaurants, so this is a hard question to answer!  I do love Mexican food and went to a restaurant called Kol for my birthday last year.  The food was superb – but I would prefer to eat it in Mexico City or looking out from the beach in Riviera Maya, to be entirely honest! 

3. What country would you travel to if you could go anywhere? 

I’ve been lucky to have travelled to a number of countries with work: China, Australia, Mexico, Brazil, US, India, Singapore, Turkey, UAE, Thailand and France.  This is part of the role I’ve missed most with the pandemic – the chance to meet the people that you spend a lot of time with on email and Teams calls.  There’s nothing like meeting face to face. One place I’d like to go but never visited is New Zealand (just don’t tell the Australian in-laws!).  I’d love to see Wales play New Zealand there – and win! 

4. What work achievement are you most proud of and why? 

Six years ago I had to re-design the key financial controls that we operate as a business under Sarbanes Oxley (SOX).  It was a task I’d dreaded. However, once I’d been given it, I knuckled down and made sure I did it to the best of my ability.  And then last year there was another control re-design to bring our Global Business System (GBS) into scope: another hard task.  But, a great team was assembled and we managed to deliver a new set of controls by the year end.   

5. What is the most memorable event you have ever attended, and why? 

I couldn’t possibly select just one!  My ultimate in terms of wanting to buy most things in the exhibition hall was our jewellery event, JCK in Las Vegas.  Unfortunately, the pair of earrings I had my eye on were $250k so slightly out of my range!  But, what an event.  And for sheer fun, it has to be New York Comic Con.  I helped work on the ReedPop Merchandise stand for half a day and it was crazy.  The fans are so passionate ‒  the Pop team works flat out to ensure that they provide them the best possible experience.  I just wish I’d been at the one with George Clooney!  

6. What attracted you to work at RX? 

I can’t say I was attracted by the events industry as I knew very little about it on joining, but I was attracted by the variety of work the role offered.  I also liked the people who interviewed me – always an important thing when you spend such a large part of the day with them.  I joined at the right time: the second day we went to Paris on a team outing to Batimat, our international construction industry event. Two months later, I was on a plane to Delhi in India.  I thought I would stay 18 months, but the variety of work (the exhibition industry is a great one and never boring), and the great people I work with, have meant I’m still here 14 years later!  RX was acquiring, entering new countries, continually growing, and then the pandemic hit and we faced new challenges.  I’m now looking forward to the next ‘growth spurt’.