Female CEO Excellence 2017 Awards

4 CEO MONTHLY / FEMALE CEO EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2017 , Seaton Tramway has been in Seaton since 1969 and has carried several million delighted passengers over the years. We spoke to Jenny Nunn, CEO, to discuss what makes herself and the company so successful. Tourism CEO of the Year 2017 – England & Best Heritage Attraction – Devon Many of Seaton Tramway’s customers return each year to take in the six-mile round trip from the UNESCO Jurassic Coast World Heritage site at Seaton, through two nature reserves and the River Axe Estuary to the medieval town of Colyton. It employs around 50 full and part-time staff together with 40+ volunteers who serve the 90,000 visitors each year. With a fleet of fourteen historic trams, the company is most famous for its open top double- deckers which are liveried to depict the towns and cities where tram travel was once so key. Jenny talks us through her background and how she came to be in the role of CEO. Alluding to her leadership style, she also explains how she aims to always make her customers happy as well as her staff. “My background is in travel, tourism and marketing, having worked for some well-known tour operators and run my own businesses in the past. I have now been with Modern Electric Tramways for nearly fourteen years starting as commercial manager, then managing director, and now CEO since the company became a charity in 2015 and set up its trading arm, Seaton Tramway Enterprises Ltd, the latter of which I am also a director. Prior to starting out in the travel industry, I spent 2½ years in Sweden, one of which was at Uppsala University after receiving a scholarship for post- graduate research in Swedish Literature and another year at Lund University as an under- graduate.” “When you are in the entertainment business, because that is what tourism is, you must always strive to be happy and smile, and hopefully that smile and happiness filters through to your staff and customers. It may sound cliché, but you are making future memories for people and that is the special thing about this industry.” In relation to her previous roles, Jenny discusses whether she draws on her experience when making important decisions. She talks about her passion to retain the heritage of the tramway but also to embrace the future, particularly when it comes to technology. Having experience in both marketing and accounting, Jenny understands what needs to be done to attract more customers whilst making a profit. “As a director of the Heritage Railway Association, which represents over 100 operating railways in the UK and Ireland, I am passionate about the fact that heritage rail needs not only to preserve its links with the past but also embrace the future with technological innovation as well as attracting a new, young audience and young staff and volunteers to keep it current and appealing. “With regards to my experience, I am slightly unusual as I have trained in both marketing and accounting so understand the need to broaden the heritage rail appeal to a wider audience plus make a good healthy profit. I am a great exponent of using the brand power of specific IPs and adapting on-board themes throughout the operating year such as The Polar Express™, Dinosaur Train™, fairies, pirates and the Tram of Terror at Halloween.” Looking ahead, Jenny spoke to us about what changes she would like to see within the corporate landscape which could make it easier for women to succeed. Being male or female should not matter as long as the person at the helm is doing a good job. Being hard working and determined should lead to anyone being able to become successful. “Inclusivity I firmly believe in, however, when it comes to women in industry and striving for the top positions, change can only come about from old-fashioned hard work and determination, assuming there is equal opportunity as a baseline, of course. Tokenism or positive discrimination are not the answers and I am confident that I have got where I am today on merit, nothing more. Having a gender-neutral viewpoint, I like to think I do a great job because I am a good boss, therefore the male/female dichotomy does not enter into the debate.” Regarding what the future has in store for Seaton Tramway, Jenny gives us an insight into some upcoming projects, one of which FCE17006