When experience retires. Thank you, Christine!
by Beke Alberring
In the office, the tissues are already laid out when a true heavyweight like ottomisu heads off into retirement.
If you ask her team and her former colleagues, she goes by many names:
Fairy Godmother, Chief Coordinator, Jack-of-all-trades, Source of Knowledge, Power Woman, Doer, Decoration Queen, Organisational Genius, Institution or One-Woman Events Agency complete with built-in quality management, crisis team and all-round carefree package.
We are, of course, talking about Christine Tisken! After almost 30 years, her professional chapter with us is coming to an end – though we are deliberately referring only to her professional life here. After all, anyone who has been part of a company for so long leaves their mark and remains fondly remembered by many colleagues long after they’ve moved on.
For Jörn Huber, Christine’s departure is an opportunity to look back on many years spent together and to dedicate a few personal words to the ‘woman who was there from the very beginning’.
A defining chapter in the company’s history is drawing to a close
Christine, our longest-serving employee at ottomisu, is retiring. Her career has been closely linked to the development of our company and dates back to the early 1990s.
As early as 1993, she supported the company as a freelancer and was thus part of the start-up phase in which the foundations were laid for what ottomisu stands for today. Since joining the company on a permanent basis in 1997, she has played an active role in shaping its development, from pro event Veranstaltungsmanagement through to pro event live-communication and on to today’s ottomisu communication GmbH.
For more than three decades, Christine has supported numerous projects, clients and change processes. With her high standards of quality, her reliability and her dedication, she has played a key role in ensuring that events have become lasting experiences. She has taken many projects to heart and, over the years, has built trusting and often long-standing relationships with our clients.
As an experienced project manager, she was not only instrumental in ottomisu’s growth, but also helped shape the belief that events can inspire people, forge connections and bring about change.
We would like to thank Christine for more than 30 years of dedication, loyalty and invaluable work in building up the company. We are particularly delighted that she will continue to support ottomisu from time to time in the future. After all, some people are simply part of a company’s history and remain part of it, even as a new chapter begins.
It is said that her first job was serving sparkling wine at the Heidelberger Herbst festival. What followed were almost 30 years with a wide variety of teams, tasks, events and challenges, all of which she knew how to tackle in her very own way. Whether it was decoration, security planning, production management, safety issues or technical briefings – none of it was a problem for Christine.
This confidence is one of the qualities that has earned her a lasting reputation at ottomisu. Over the years, she has not only been confident, but so much more to the people around her.
Here’s what comes to mind for her colleagues when they think of Christine:
"You’re simply a powerwoman! Totally hands-on! When you do something, you do it properly! You’re also a huge role model for me! I’ll count myself lucky if, one day, I can demonstrate the same experience and confidence as you.”
"Your ability to stay calm in even the most stressful situations, your very own way of tackling things, and your knack for always making things work out so that everything falls into place in the end. It’s all a bit like superpowers."
„To me, you were always much more than just the person who knew the answer to every question and had a solution to every problem. You had your very own way of seeing and addressing things – sometimes with a critical eye, often with a spot-on comment and a valuable insight behind it. It was precisely this openness that I valued so much. Your ideas, objections and arguments have enriched many discussions and brought important perspectives to the table.”
These qualities will no doubt continue to guide her as she embarks on this new chapter, now that it’s time to draw up to-do lists for personal projects and make plans for the things she finally has time for.
But it isn’t just her current and former colleagues who she has left a lasting impression on. It will certainly feel strange for clients, partners and service providers too not to see her regularly at event venues and production offices around the world. We hope she has carefully entered all her contacts into our ERP system – because what are we to do when we need to start looking for a specific service provider again and can’t simply pop round the corner to ask Christine if she knows anyone who specialises in décor, tensioning systems, art or similar? ‘Ask Christine about service providers’ was the motto for a long time, because she really did have the right contact for every situation.
But let’s just let them have their say for once!
How did you come to join proevent back then, and what has kept you here for so long and kept you motivated?
I ended up here more by chance than by design – but I’ve stayed because no two days are the same and the work is very varied.
I’ve also been kept here by the many projects that ‘grow’ and change, constantly presenting new challenges.
But also my colleagues, with whom working together has always been rewarding and respectful.
Above all, it’s been my curiosity that has motivated me – what’s next? How can we do better? What can I learn?
And the gratitude I feel for those moments when guests or customers say: “That was brilliant!”
What should never change at ottomisu?
A passion for events. That must never be lost.
The human factor: no matter how digital the world becomes, events thrive on people and their emotions.
The willingness to try something new. The industry is changing – those who stand still will lose out.
What do you learn in the events industry not in theory, but only on the job?
In theory, a Plan B is important. In practice, however, Plans C, D and E are often necessary. And sometimes even that isn’t enough.
Dealing with people under pressure: how do you react when a client has special requests at the last minute before the event? How do you reassure and motivate a team that has been in ‘stress mode’ for 16 hours?
Perfection is an illusion. Even the best event has its quirks. You should take a relaxed view of this and focus on what really matters: ensuring the guests have an uninterrupted experience.
Which quality is most helpful in the events industry?
Organisational skills and a structured approach. Events are like jigsaw puzzles – every piece has to fit, otherwise the whole thing falls apart.
Resilience. The industry is emotionally and physically demanding. Those who can bounce back from setbacks, learn from their mistakes and cope with pressure will improve.
What should you never forget if things do end up going differently in a project?
Take a deep breath first. Panic isn’t a good guide. Things are often less dramatic than they feel.
Have faith in your abilities and don’t let yourself get unsettled. But seek support and help if necessary.
Laugh about it – later. Even the wildest mishaps eventually become the best anecdotes.
“Everything will be alright!” – a phrase that always gets you through stressful times.
What advice would you give to the younger generation in the events industry?
Learn the basics – but stay curious. Understand how events work. Don’t forget to think outside the box. The best ideas often come from other sectors (museums, exhibitions, festivals, …).
Communicate with people. Whether with clients, teams or service providers: clear agreements and transparency save time, stress and money. Pick up the phone more often and speak to people, rather than just sending emails. This often provides clarity more quickly and prevents misunderstandings. And: listening is just as important as speaking.
Health comes first. The events industry is demanding – long days, stress, physical strain. Make sure you take breaks, get enough sleep and find a good work-life balance.
Events can be chaotic and unpredictable at times. Look for solutions, because complaining doesn’t help anyone.
Build good relationships. Whether with suppliers, artists, colleagues or clients – a strong network opens doors and helps in times of crisis.
Is there any advice you wish you’d been given sooner?
“You don’t have to be able to do everything on your own. Delegating isn’t a weakness – it’s a strength.”
If you compare the industry and the world of work back then with today, what has improved? What perhaps hasn’t? What gives you hope?
These days, events have to be faster, cheaper and more spectacular.
The focus on profit sometimes comes at the expense of creativity and humanity.
Social media makes everything more fleeting. That makes it difficult to create genuine memories. It’s often all about the ‘wow’ moment – not about lasting experiences.
I’m also critical of the pressure to perform and the expectation to be constantly available, as well as the need to deliver more for a smaller budget.
That said, there are many helpful technologies and tools for planning and execution.
Awareness of environmental and social responsibility and sustainability is growing.
And the younger generation gives me hope: they’re idealistic, sustainability-minded and digitally savvy.
What insights have surprised you the most during your career?
Just how much you can learn from mistakes.
The many people you keep coming across time and again over nearly 30 years.
How important empathy is. A good event manager must not only organise, but also understand what people – whether clients, service providers or colleagues – really want and need.
That money isn’t everything. The best projects were those where there was good team chemistry – not the ones that brought in the most money.
Our slogan is “connecting people, brands and markets”, and throughout your career you’ve met countless people, teams and clients. What do you know today about collaboration and people that you didn’t know at the start of your career?
Nothing works without trust within the team.
Conflicts are part and parcel of the job. How you deal with them is crucial.
Communicate bad news early on – it saves drama later on.
The best ideas come from unexpected places. Look around and listen.
What will you miss about ottomisu and the events industry? And what will you definitely not miss?
I’ll miss:
The challenge of making the most of the requirements, the budget and the circumstances
The feeling of having created something with my own hands.
The stories you experience.
That tingle of excitement before the first guests arrive
I won’t miss:
The sleepless nights before an event, when that feeling creeps in: what haven’t I thought of, what’s missing (even when everything’s well planned)
The feeling of needing to sleep for a whole week after an event.
Is there anything you’d like to say to the team?
Trust one another. A good team is like a family – but one where you might shout at each other from time to time and still stick together.
Be proud of your work. Events are short-lived, but the memories last.
Stay hungry. Even after 20 years in the business, there’s always something new to learn.
What are you most looking forward to right now?
Time for myself – though it’s also a bit daunting to have so much free time. I want to make good use of it.
New projects without any pressure. Perhaps an event here and there – but only if it’s fun.
More time for the people who are important to me and who might become important again.
Almost 30 years in the events industry cannot be summarised in a single magazine article. But perhaps that is also the most important insight: knowledge is not just about processes, checklists and files. Above all, it lies in experiences, encounters and the people who have had them.
Dear Christine, thank you for countless projects, open doors, honest words, pragmatic solutions and for showing generations of colleagues how to master challenges with calm, reliability and a twinkle in your eye.
We wish you all the very best for this new chapter in your life and, at the same time, we’re delighted that we’ll still be seeing you from time to time at ottomisu. Because whilst some people may step away from day-to-day working life, they remain an integral part of our story.
