Rae Malcham is the chief operating officer of BW Events Tech, an all-in-one technology agency. She's based in Glasgow, Scotland, and is also a UK Global Talent Visa Holder—which was awarded due to her expertise in event technology.
How she got here: "I’ve been in the event tech industry for 10 years now. Although I studied event management in college, I struggled to land my first job, and eventually got hired as a technical project coordinator at a logistics company. Surprisingly, I discovered a rewarding career as a project manager in the tech industry and believed events would be a side gig here and there.
In 2015, through a gym friend, I learned about a role in event tech, which seemed absolutely perfect for me—and I got it! I was able to mesh my skills and passion into a new career path. I spent five years managing event technology for Tableau and then Cisco. I worked on all things event tech, including platforms, mobile apps, integration, and even AR/VR implementations.
I joined BW Events Tech in 2021 to support Brandon Wernli’s rapidly growing company and start my career in consulting. Within the first year, I was juggling project management and account management, and supporting company operations. As we’ve grown, I have helped the company scale so we can hire the best people and provide the best service to our clients."
What innovation means to her: "I really love innovation with purpose, rather than innovation for the sake of innovation. I also believe innovation can be very simple; it’s not always big and flashy. To me, being innovative is a mindset and a commitment to try things no one else is doing yet, while continuing to ask critical questions such as 'Does this make the experience better?' and 'Will this create a greater connection with our brand?'
It’s easy to get confident and comfortable with things you know how to do, and this can keep you from growing and innovating—it’s happened to me. I make an effort to attend two to three events each year as a regular attendee for research and inspiration. I take note of what excites me, what makes my experience easier and smoother, and what frustrates me. Two of my favorite events for inspiration are Cannes Lions and Mobile World Congress.
I also look at technology we use day to day in our real lives and think about how it can be used at events—taking something that already exists and repurposing it. For example, I loved helping a client convert all of their session content into a podcast library—simple but impactful." 
Memorable moments: "Two pivotal moments come to mind. In 2019, I experienced burnout and decided to leave the industry and try product management at a telecommunications company. But in less than a year, I missed working in events more than I expected and took my first career pay cut to get back into the industry... right before the pandemic. As everything was falling apart and all my events were getting canceled, I questioned my decision. However, I was thrown into the chaos of virtual events, new technology every week, and clients looking for a calm and expert voice in this new era. I haven’t looked back since. I would not be where I am today if I had not made that jump when I did.
Second, it was a personal goal to move to Scotland and live abroad, but I also knew how important it would be to expand my industry experience internationally. Through the UK Tech Nation Global Talent Visa program, I was the first person to be given this five-year visa with a career in event technology. I moved to Glasgow in 2022 and have helped expand BW’s presence in the U.K. and Europe, which has been a really rewarding part of my career."
The tech advancements she's excited about right now: "I am a big fan of efficiency (no surprise there) and I love event tech that makes an experience more seamless or efficient. I am excited to see how technology will evolve the event check-in experience for attendees. Although it is often overlooked, registration creates that first impression with your brand and event. We are working with technologies like wallet pass, facial recognition, badgeless events, and contactless check-in—things we use every day outside of events—to help elevate this experience."
What's next: "I am in the early stages of putting together a university course on event technology, which I have been wanting to do for a very long time. It will be what I wish was included when I got my degree in event management. Many of my peers fell into the event tech industry by chance. Even though I love the diverse backgrounds that everyone has, I want to help younger people see this as a career to pursue and help any aspiring event manager have foundational knowledge of event technology.
As a company, we are continuing to innovate on our ShowUp suite, BW’s on-site technology solution, which now includes a meetings manager tool and an exhibitor resource center. First used in 2022, it has now been used for over 300 events on six continents (still waiting for that Antarctica event!). Everything we build, we think about the attendee and the planner experience. We’re excited to help our clients use other types of technology to check people in, enhance the attendee experience, book meetings at events, and support their exhibitors. Honestly, it’s easy to be innovative when you’re surrounded by the best event technologists in the industry."
