British Counsel

Across the Pond: Miranda House first decided to pursue event work after organizing club nights, managing guest lists, and looking after V.I.P.s at her brother’s London-based company, London Parties. But rather than team up with her sibling, she landed a job with event management company Dora Loewenstein Associates (DLA) in 1998. At the three-person company, she quickly took a hands-on role in production and management for private, nonprofit, and corporate events, eventually overseeing Mick Jagger’s 60th birthday party in Prague and a charity fund-raising concert with Elton John that attracted Prince Charles and raised £2.3 million for cultural institution Somerset House and children’s charity Absolute Return for Kids. House is now putting her experience to use as the new event director of DLA Inc., the company’s first American office.

Minding the Gap: “A lot of the events [in Los Angeles] are quite generic across the board, and a lot of these big event companies churn out the same event over and over again,” House says. “What sets us apart out here is that we provide a very personal service with a huge emphasis on attention to detail.” That includes tasks from managing logistics like budgets to compiling guest lists and sending out invitations. “We don’t just happily write the names and ‘plus guest’ and hope for the best,” House says. “We research and ring everyone to get the right spelling, the right title, and the correct guest name.”At a 300-person fund-raiser for Virgin Unite last July, House’s thorough tactics proved particularly useful. “When the entire seating plan for our dinner was lost the night before the event, Miranda saved the day, thanks to her meticulous record-keeping,” says Tim Souris, the event’s chairman. “She consistently provided invaluable advice and was a calming influence under very stressful circumstances.”

Hollywood Dreams: House hopes the L.A. office will garner a prominent reputation to match its U.K. renown. She's happy to take on a variety of event types but is especially interested in breaking into the entertainment business. "I know there are a lot of event companies that have been here for years that are very entwined with the studios," she says. "We'd love to bring something different to the table."