Getting Young Professionals Into The Events Industry: The Annabelle Project Case Study

Includes a Live Web Event on 04/08/2026 at 10:30 AM (CDT)

The events industry doesn’t have a “talent shortage.” It has a relevance problem. Young professionals aren’t avoiding our industry because they lack interest, they’re avoiding it because we’ve failed to clearly articulate the value of a career in events, provide credible on-ramps, and deliver early wins that justify long-term commitment. Career fairs, internships, and inspirational panels haven’t fixed the problem. In many cases, they’ve made it worse. This session will provide a case study into the Annabelle Project which was designed as a direct response to that failure.

In this 45-minute, no-theory, case-study-driven session, Warwick Davies breaks down how a focused mentorship and exposure model has successfully moved college-age talent, particularly students from HBCUs and Hispanic-Serving Institutions, from industry-curious to industry-committed. This session challenges conventional “pipeline” thinking and replaces it with a practical, repeatable system for attracting, qualifying, and retaining young professionals who actually stay. If your organization is serious about talent, not optics, this session will give you a different way to think, decide, and act.

Learning Objectives

Diagnose why most young professional initiatives fail, and identify the hidden assumptions that sabotage recruitment and retention efforts.
Deconstruct the Annabelle Project model to understand how mentorship, access, and accountability create real career momentum, not temporary enthusiasm.
Implement one immediately actionable shift that increases the perceived value of an events career to young professionals and strengthens long-term talent ROI.

IAEE webinars are free to members and available to non-members for $49.

Warwick Davies

Founder

The Annabelle Project

Warwick Davies is the Founder of The Annabelle Project and Principal of The Event Mechanic!, where he helps event organizers and sponsors increase revenue, relevance, and long-term value by fixing what events actually do for buyers, exhibitors, and talent. With more than two decades in the global events and exhibitions industry—including senior leadership roles at IDG World Expo and 15 years as Sponsorship Director at DATAVERSITY—Warwick has built, scaled, and repaired event businesses across multiple sectors. He has generated hundreds of millions in event revenue, launched new products, and advised CEOs on how to turn events from cost centers into strategic assets.

The Annabelle Project reflects his belief that talent pipelines should be designed with the same rigor as revenue models. Through mentorship, exposure, and accountability, the program creates measurable career outcomes for college-age students—particularly from HBCUs and Hispanic-Serving Institutions—while delivering tangible ROI to participating organizations. Warwick is known for his direct, no-theory approach and his willingness to challenge industry assumptions that no longer serve business or talent.