60 Seconds with Rachel Ward

The atmosphere in the theatre was amazing, very emotional - I’ve never experienced another LSE event quite like it!

 

In March 2021, Rachel Ward, Head of Room Bookings and Commercial Events, celebrated her 21st anniversary at LSE.

Rachel Ward and Events team
Rachel Ward (right) and team, c2000

How long have you worked at LSE and how did you come to work at the School? 

I am celebrating my 21st LSE anniversary this week! I joined from the Association of MBAs after a very entertaining interview with Gary Delaney who was my first line manager at the School. In my previous role I had been organising events at Business Schools across the UK and when I was offered the job my former colleagues were concerned about the quality of venues I would be working with at LSE. I could only find a photo of the Hong Kong Theatre at the time, it looked OK, so I went for it and accepted the job. 

What areas have you worked in? 

I’ve always been involved with room bookings, looking after commercial events initially for external organisations hiring space on campus and more recently staff and student society bookings as well. Nevertheless, I have worked in many areas of the School – we started in the Services Division, moved to BSS (now Data and Technology Services/DTS), then on to Residences and Catering Services Division, a short stay with Finance and Facilities before being one of the founding members of the External Relations Division, which then became Communications, before finally finding our perfect home in the wonderful Estates Division. 

What have been the biggest changes you’ve seen?

The biggest change is most definitely our campus which has been utterly transformed. The first building (re)-opening I was part of was when the Library moved back into the Lionel Robbins Building (from a space on Chancery Lane) and have since said goodbye to the St Philips Buildings, East Building, Clare Market and half of St Clements Building and have been part of openings for The Towers (now Fawcett, Pankhurst and Pethick-Lawrence Houses), New Academic Building, Saw Swee Hock, 32 Lincoln’s Inn Fields and most recently the Centre Building.

What’s your fondest memory of working at LSE?  

There are so many good memories of working on different commercial and School events with colleagues past and present, working with the team on Graduation is always a highlight. But one memory is hard to beat - when ten days into my new job at LSE I found myself working on an event in the Peacock Theatre with Nelson Mandela as the guest speaker and with performances from Joan Armatrading and others, the atmosphere in the theatre was amazing, very emotional. I’ve never experienced another LSE event quite like it.

What excites you about the future of LSE? 

In the short term, I’m excited about coming back to campus and catching up with colleagues (in person) who I haven’t seen now for a year! Looking further ahead, I’m excited about future campus developments and the opening of our next new building – after years of trying to find suitable spaces to book student dance classes, music practice and rehearsals without disrupting other activities, I’m really looking forward to the Marshall Building with its purpose-built rehearsal spaces!

If you could book any guest speaker for an LSE public event, who would you choose?

In the current circumstances Prof Sarah Gilbert (Oxford Astra-Zeneca Vaccine) would be an interesting speaker.

What’s been your lockdown favourite snack?

Dates are probably my current favourite.

What makes you feel part of LSE? 

Our team in Estates and colleagues we work with across the School – there always seems to be a spirit of good humour and co-operation whatever life at LSE throws at us! In recent years our team has been working with the SU on improving services and support for student societies, so I would say that being more involved in supporting student groups with their events such as the Debate Society competitions, Drama Society performances and Dance Club Annual Show in the Peacock Theatre also makes me feel part of LSE.