Ashaa Khunti, Managing Director of WBR Europe, believes successful businesses are built by strong teams. Throughout her career, her focus has been less on individual recognition and more on creating environments where motivated, ambitious people can do their best work together.<\/p>\n
That approach has shaped her 17-year career, including more than 14 years at WBR. Despite her success, Ashaa is quick to credit the people around her, colleagues, mentors, and teams, as a major part of her journey. Having worked with Ashaa for over a decade, Jackson Barnes wanted to highlight not just her achievements but the way she approaches leadership, hiring, and team development.<\/p>\n
Ashaa joined WBR in 2012 as a Conference Producer working on launch events. She was drawn to the pace of the business, the level of ownership, and the opportunity to build something from the ground up. Those same themes, growth, accountability, and collaboration, still define the way she works today.<\/p>\n
One of the defining moments in Ashaa’s career came when she stepped into a Divisional Director role with responsibility for turning around a loss-making portfolio. Rather than approaching it alone, she focused on building momentum as a team.<\/p>\n
“I had a talented, committed team around me, and together we launched new events, tested ideas, and built something really special.<\/em>“<\/p>\n That portfolio has since become one of WBR’s strongest-performing divisions, with several of its leading events launched during that period. For Ashaa, the experience reinforced the importance of giving people trust, support, and ownership.<\/p>\n At a time when many producers move companies to progress their careers, Ashaa’s long tenure at WBR stands out. She attributes that largely to the company’s investment in its people.<\/p>\n “I was given opportunities to grow, often before I felt fully ready, and that trust had a huge impact on me<\/em>.”<\/p>\n Her interest in psychology has also influenced her leadership style. Understanding what motivates people and what may hold them back has become central to how she develops teams and supports performance.<\/p>\n As Managing Director, Ashaa sees her role as balancing commercial performance with responsibility for culture and people. Setting direction, making decisions, and creating clarity are all key parts of the role, but so is listening.<\/p>\n “A big part of leadership is understanding what people need in order to succeed and removing barriers that stand in their way<\/em>.”<\/p>\n She is also candid about the challenges that come with leadership, particularly maintaining consistency across multiple teams and making decisions without a clear playbook. Throughout that process, she says mentors and trusted colleagues have remained an important source of perspective and support.<\/p>\n WBR’s reputation for building and retaining strong teams is something Ashaa believes comes down to trust and opportunity. People are encouraged to take ownership early, experiment with new ideas, and learn through experience.<\/p>\n “Skills can be developed, but mindset is key. We look for people who are proactive, adaptable, and willing to take responsibility<\/em>.”<\/p>\n That entrepreneurial approach is something she actively encourages across the business. For Ashaa, growth often comes from stepping outside of comfort zones, being honest about what is not working, and adapting quickly.<\/p>\n “The willingness to learn and evolve is what ultimately drives performance<\/em>.”<\/p>\n Looking at the wider B2B events industry, Ashaa believes one of the biggest challenges is quality. Too many businesses rely on quick-turnaround products and outdated formats while customer expectations continue to evolve. Senior leaders are increasingly selective with their time and expect events to deliver genuine value, meaningful connections, and clear outcomes.<\/p>\n For WBR, that means focusing on creating market-leading events that people actively prioritise attending. It is an approach that reflects Ashaa’s broader philosophy: stay ambitious, keep improving, and invest in good people.<\/p>\n “The best businesses are the ones that don’t wait to be forced to change,” <\/em>she says. “They lead it<\/em>.”<\/p>\n Fourteen years into her journey at WBR, Ashaa Khunti continues to do exactly that.<\/p>\n Pictured above is Ashaa with her son Dylan, who just turned two. It is a side of her life she is equally proud to celebrate.<\/p>\n Visit Jackson Barnes Recruitment\u2019s website\u00a0www.jbrecruitment.co.uk<\/a>\u00a0to learn more about how we connect top commercial talent with world-class media and events organisations.<\/p>\n About Jackson Barnes Recruitment<\/strong><\/p>\n Jackson Barnes Recruitment delivers international recruitment solutions within the events, media, and publishing sectors. Jackson Barnes recruits Graduate to MD level in the following positions:<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0Researcher<\/a><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0Conference producer<\/a><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0Event Marketing<\/a><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0Sales \u2013 delegate, sponsorship & Business Development<\/a><\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0Event Manager<\/a><\/p>\n