More to the role than glamour

From hosting royals to taking trips up the Sky Tower, it’s all in a day’s work for Skycity corporate events manager Lizzie Leuchars. She talks with Rose Cawley about her working life, in which no two days are the same.

A formal dinner here, a launch there – that is Lizzie Leuchars’ world.

The corporate events manager at Skycity is the perfectly groomed mastermind behind many a soiree.

Even visiting royals don’t ruffle her feathers.

Last week, months of planning came to fruition when Zara Phillips visited as patron of The CatWalk Spinal Cord Injury Trust.

One of the of the highlights of her career to date was working on Prince Charles and Camilla’s visit.

‘‘I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I found them to be the most charming, warm and thoughtful people,’’ she says.

‘‘I even received Christmas card from

a the Duchess’ lady in waiting following their visit.’’

Leuchars says the role fits her like a glove.

‘‘There is no daily grind for me. The only daily grind would be whether I am having my coffee from Gusto or from Depot.

‘‘I don’t care if I am here on a Saturday or Sunday, I don’t care if I am here to midnight – I just love it.’’ A weekend off is a rarity. ‘‘I can’t think when I really had nothing to do here,’’ she says.

‘‘Whether I can stay away is really the question.’’

Leuchars completed a Bachelor of Arts at Victoria University and worked for a kitchen design business before setting that aside to have children.

When she came back into the workforce she started in an events role with two different retirement villages before taking up a job at the Northern Club.

She then worked for CPA Australia, one of the world’s largest accounting organisations.

She says those jobs left her with an appreciation for details and finesse, especially at the eleventh hour when everything largely comes together.

‘‘The key is to be Johnnyon-the-spot,’’ Leuchars says.

But it is the raft of staff behind the scenes who make the tailored events a success.

‘‘It’s not me by myself, it is we.’’

The route from Gusto, to the Grill and then up the Sky Tower to The Sugar Club is broken up with quick hellos and waves at every door.

And when Leuchars comes back down and walks across the gift shop floor she greets the woman behind the counter by name.

‘‘Most people would see it as a glamour job but they don’t see the hard yards put in,’’ she says.

‘‘I can push the furniture around just like anyone else, although I don’t mind when someone offers to do it for me.’’