Serena Jennings
London
Summary
Strategic leader with extensive experience working at executive and board-adjacent level within complex, creative organisations. Proven track record in shaping and delivering organisational strategy, translating vision into operational plans, and driving alignment across multiple stakeholders. Experienced in governance, senior leadership facilitation, and leading cross-functional teams through change. Brings a deep understanding of the cultural and creative sector, combined with strong commercial and organisational acumen.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
Work History
Head of Commercial Operations
LIONS Advisory (Cannes Lions Festival)
London
10.2025 - Current
- Lead the delivery of commercial and operational strategy across a complex, multi-stakeholder organisation, ensuring alignment with senior leadership objectives.
- Partner closely with executive leadership to translate strategic priorities into executable plans across teams.
- Lead and develop cross-functional teams, embedding clear accountability, performance standards, and delivery focus.
- Oversee commercial governance, supplier strategy and contract negotiation, delivering cost efficiencies and value creation.
- Drive organisational improvement initiatives, identifying opportunities for automation, process redesign and sustainable growth.
- Build trusted relationships with internal and external stakeholders to enable collaboration and long-term strategic outcomes.
Operations Manager
LIONS Advisory
01.2024 - Current
- Contributed to the development and delivery of long-term organisational strategy, ensuring operational plans supported business goals.
- Led strategic projects end-to-end, coordinating multiple teams and managing competing priorities.
- Oversaw operational budgets and resource planning, supporting financially sustainable decision-making.
- Identified and mitigated organisational risk, developing contingency and resilience planning.
- Acted as a key connector between departments, improving communication, alignment and execution.Streamlining operational processes to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and increase productivity.
- Identifying and implementing new systems and technologies to enhance operations.
- Scheduling and managing resources to meet business needs.
- Overseeing the budget for operational activities and ensuring expenditures stay within limits.
- Identifying areas to cut costs without compromising on quality or service.
- Developing and enforcing policies that ensure the products or services meet required standards.
- Conducting regular checks to maintain consistent quality.
- Managing and executing operational projects from start to finish.
- Ensuring that projects are completed on time, within scope, and within budget.
- Contributing to the development of long-term operational strategies aligned with the organization's goals.
- Managing relationships with external suppliers and vendors.
- Negotiating contracts and ensuring timely delivery of scopes of work / deliverables.
- Ensuring smooth delivery of products/services to customers and addressing any issues that arise.
- Managing customer complaints and striving for high levels of customer satisfaction.
- Contributed to the development and delivery of long-term organisational strategy, ensuring operational plans supported business goals.
- Led strategic projects end-to-end, coordinating multiple teams and managing competing priorities.
- Oversaw operational budgets and resource planning, supporting financially sustainable decision-making.
- Identified and mitigated organisational risk, developing contingency and resilience planning.
- Acted as a key connector between departments, improving communication, alignment and execution.Identifying potential risks to the business and implementing strategies to mitigate them.
- Developing contingency plans for unforeseen events or disruptions.
EA to the CEO and then EA to the CFO, CRO, and SVP
LIONS
01.2020 - 01.2024
- Operated as a strategic partner to senior leadership, supporting decision-making, governance and organisational priorities.
- Played a central role in leadership meetings, including agenda planning, minute-taking, follow-up and delivery tracking.
- Supported strategic projects and cross-functional initiatives at executive level.
- Acted as a trusted gatekeeper and advisor, managing complex stakeholder relationships with discretion and judgement.
- Prepared high-level briefings, reports and presentations for senior internal and external audiences.
EA to the President
Alpha International
01.2019 - 01.2020
- Day to day responsibilities include all diary and inbox management, personal assistance, travel organisation, booking venues for meetings and entertainment functions, managing all expenses and making presentations on behalf of the President of Alpha.
- Organising and overseeing all international travel organisation for the President of Alpha including making detailed travel itineraries.
- High proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint
- Overseeing of the Presidents personal matters including property management, private building works, looking after the presidents tenants in a rental property, booking holidays and running personal errands that arose on a day to day basis.
Freelance project manager
Ascential
01.2018 - 01.2020
- Money20/20 Asia (Speaker Logistics Manager/on-site operations in Singapore)
- Money20/20 Europe (Speaker Logistics Manager/on-site stage manager in Amsterdam)
- Money20/20 China (Logistics manager relocated temporarily to Hong Kong to project manage and train the logistics team)
Speaker Logistics Manager
Ascential
01.2016 - 01.2018
- Collecting, creating and managing the database of information for 400+ speakers (using excel)
- Auditing copy of the agenda and speaker profiles throughout various platforms (workbook, website and marketing emails)
- Coordinating the speakers for a 120+ hour agenda for the event as part of the senior content team
- Sourcing and managing logistics for 400+ senior speakers including coordinating travel arrangements, booking flights, hotels and transport
- Arranging all pre-event promotion for speakers
- Managing relationships with all 400+ senior speakers
- Onsite management of the VIP speaker lounge: problem solving, making sure that the speakers arrive on time for their session, assisting them with any last minute logistics for presentations, connecting them with other speakers
Speech & Drama teacher
Dean Close School
01.2015 - 01.2016
- Two days a week teaching private lessons, preparing 11 - 18 year olds for LAMDA exams
PA to Ric Thorpe
Bishop of Islington
01.2015 - 01.2016
- Excellent organisational and administrative skills
- High proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Outlook
- Setting up a new office and creating new systems for managing the Bishop's inbox, diary, phone, finances and filing
- Handling sensitive information with discretion
- Fast thinking and confidence
Co-founder/producer
No Prophet Theatre Company
01.2012 - 01.2015
- Co-founded and produced an independent theatre company, delivering six successful productions across the UK and internationally.
- Led strategic planning, fundraising, touring logistics and stakeholder engagement.
- Delivered productions at the Edinburgh Fringe with transfers to major venues including Arcola Theatre, Soho Playhouse (NY), and Baltimore Center Stage.
- Built partnerships with venues, creatives and institutions across the UK and US.
Runner
Delfont Mackintosh
01.2019
- Responsibilities included: orchestrating the packaging and delivery of 200+ gifts for cast and creative team.
- Managing the VIP tickets and ensuring all agents and VIP guests received their tickets by hand the day before press night.
- Front of house on press night: ensuring VIP guests were looked after, managing drop outs by replacing empty seats with fillers.
- Organising and overseeing that all cast got in their taxi's to the press night after party.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Acting
The Royal Central School of Speech And Drama
01.2015
10 GCSE's, 2 A Levels -
Dean Close School
01.2011
National Youth Theatre
01.2010
Skills
- Strategic & Organisational Planning
- Governance & Board-Level Support
- Cross-Functional Leadership
- Stakeholder Engagement & Influence
- Change & Transformation Delivery
- Commercial & Financial Oversight
- Risk & Resilience Planning
- Executive Communication
References
Available upon request.
Timeline
Head of Commercial Operations
LIONS Advisory (Cannes Lions Festival)
10.2025 - Current
Operations Manager
LIONS Advisory
01.2024 - Current
EA to the CEO and then EA to the CFO, CRO, and SVP
LIONS
01.2020 - 01.2024
EA to the President
Alpha International
01.2019 - 01.2020
Runner
Delfont Mackintosh
01.2019
Freelance project manager
Ascential
01.2018 - 01.2020
Speaker Logistics Manager
Ascential
01.2016 - 01.2018
Speech & Drama teacher
Dean Close School
01.2015 - 01.2016
PA to Ric Thorpe
Bishop of Islington
01.2015 - 01.2016
Co-founder/producer
No Prophet Theatre Company
01.2012 - 01.2015
Bachelor of Arts - Acting
The Royal Central School of Speech And Drama
10 GCSE's, 2 A Levels -
Dean Close School
National Youth Theatre