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Category: Best Venues 2017

For the Ambassador who consistently chooses superb venues, going above and beyond for top-class locations.

 

2017 Winner: Lorenzo Panunzio in Rome, Italy

2017 Honorable Mention: Lara Pavanelli in Austin, Texas

 

Why He Won

The title says it all — we looked for Ambassadors who source the top venues in their communities! When determining 2017’s choice for Best Venues, the Global Awards Jury considered great negotiators who consistently achieve elegant results and book exclusive locations. We reviewed venues in many cities and looked towards trends of excellence in quality, location, and overall popularity.

This year’s winner comes from Italy, and one of our jury members tells us why he won:

“Lorenzo works extremely hard to secure the top venues in Rome. Most are four and five-star locations and it can be very difficult to negotiate a space due to their exclusivity. I don’t know how he does it, but he’s hosted events in places like the Luxury Eliseo Theatre with exclusive access and at the Castel Sant’Angelo. Lorenzo even managed to organize the 10th Anniversary in a real palace, the Palazzo Ferraioli, which was built in 183 AD and housed ancient Roman nobility! He is committed to spicing up his locations with a mix of gorgeous 5-star locations and more down-to-earth relaxed events, and the combination never lacks in quality.”

Can you give us an example of a “highlight event” or an event you were really proud of during your time as an Ambassador?

Lorenzo: In these five years, the greatest satisfaction I’ve received came from our 10th Anniversary in October. In this case, the challenge was double as it was a completely new concept: not only did I have to correctly forecast the right number of attendees and their tastes, but I also had to budget for everything (food, beverage, layout, security) and on top of this, also guarantee payments with a potentially high risk of loss. But, in my opinion, high commitment means high success! At this event, we moved from simply promoting an event to real event planning, something that is very different and much harder to understand.

 

What is important to look for when choosing your locations?

Lorenzo: Every community has different tastes which are a consequence of the city where the community is based. To make a comparison between Rome and London for example, we see that London is more of a clubbing community than Rome. The majority of professional expatriates in Rome work in international organizations, which means that Rome needs a bit more of an elegant and trendy environment. Food is also a must here while in other, more international communities like Munich, London, and Brussels food is usually not required.

 

Congratulations to Lorenzo, 2017’s winner for the Best Venues, as well as our honorable mention, Laura Pavanelli in Austin, for impressing all of us with incredible negotiation skills and an eye for picking the top venues in your community!

 

About the Winner:

Lorenzo Panunzio is originally from Bari, Italy, and has been an Ambassador for the Rome Community since 2013. He hosts two official events in Rome each month. He has managed corporate events and leads many business development projects within the hospitality sector, including one for the Italian Chamber of Commerce. He also collaborates with the UN and various embassies.



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