Full PCO
Miss Rachel Anne Locke
Virtual Approval
Region: Yorkshire & Humber
Personal Statement
We bring together event design and broadcast production expertise, enabling organisations to deliver conferences and professional events that are both structured and highly engaging for modern, multi-location audiences.
Virtual Approval is a UK-based, full-service event management and production agency delivering conferences, seminars, exhibitions and award ceremonies for associations, societies and professional organisations.
We work across in-person, hybrid and virtual formats, with a particular specialism in hybrid event delivery — seamlessly integrating live audiences with remote participants to create engaging, broadcast-quality experiences.
Our clients span the healthcare, legal, financial and education sectors, and while we are UK-based, we deliver events globally. We support organisations at every stage of the event lifecycle, from initial concept and programme design through to technical production and onsite delivery.
Role & Skill Areas
As Founder and Managing Director of Virtual Approval, I oversee the strategic direction and delivery of all projects, working closely with clients to design and deliver high-quality conferences and professional meetings.
My role combines event strategy, client consultancy and production oversight, ensuring that each event is aligned with the organisation’s objectives while being delivered to a high professional and technical standard. I lead on key client relationships, programme development and the integration of hybrid and broadcast elements into event design.
Conference and event strategy for associations and professional bodies
Hybrid event design and delivery (integrating in-person, multi-location and virtual audiences)
Full-service event management, operations and logistics
Programme development, speaker management and content coordination
Sponsor and exhibitor management, including onsite and virtual activation
Technical production and broadcast expertise:
Audio-visual production and supplier management
Broadcast production and live streaming
Virtual event platforms (including Zoom, Teams and webinar platforms)
Production direction and show calling
Technical production teams, including specialist producers and operators
Zoom technicians and virtual event producers
Workshop and breakout room production and facilitation support
Multi-stream and multi-location event delivery
Rehearsal design, speaker preparation and technical run-of-show development
Experience
Administration Experience
- Provision of Administrative Secretariat
- Handling Registrations
- Preparation and Implementation of a Marketing Plan
Social Media Marketing and Engagement
- Planning and administration of a general working programme
- Planning and organisation of social events
- Design management
- Preparation and management of distribution of conference content via printed or online channels
- Hiring of/responsibility for sets
- signs
- furniture
- audiovisual
- Organisation of interpretation and translation
- Recruitment and briefing of conference staff
- Reservation and management of hotel accommodation
- Organisation of coach and individual transfers
- Organisation of delegates' travel arrangements
- Overall on-site management
Financial Experience
- Preparation of budget and control of expenditure
- Revenue generation (sponsorship
- exhibition
- satellite meetings)
- Preparation of contracts with clients
- venues and other suppliers
- VAT and insurance issues
- Reconciliation of final accounts
Technical Experience
- Organisation of technical/scientific programme content
- Processing of abstracts
- Management of virtual and hybrid meetings
- Provision of speaker registration
- briefings
- slide preview
- Arrangements for the press and media
- Publication of proceedings
50 Abstract Submission(s) managed per year.140 Speaker(s) at the largest meeting organised.40 Poster(s) organised.
Meeting/Conference Details
15 meeting(s) per year in which they played a key organisational role.
I have over six years’ experience organising conferences and professional meetings since founding Virtual Approval in March 2020.
During this time, I have delivered events for a range of associations and professional bodies including the British Society for Heart Failure, Leeds Law Society, Ofsted, Access Association, NRAC and UKCP, as well as large-scale conferences such as Transform Trauma, the UK’s largest conference for mental health professionals, with over 3,000 attendees.
My experience spans small specialist seminars through to large multi-day conferences and exhibitions, delivered across in-person, hybrid and virtual formats for both UK and international audiences.
Address
Primary Address (Business)
Virtual Approval Limited
7 Ahlux Court
Millwright Street
LEEDS
LS2 7QQ
United Kingdom
Phone 1: +447940435780
Phone 2: +44203 026 4918
Mobile: 07940435780
Testimonial(s)
Events Executive
Contact: Isabella McLoad
Organisation: BSH
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