MEET OUR RISING STARS (Part 3)

A world-leading strategic experiential agency is nothing without its world-leading team members. In this three-part series (click here for Part 1 and Part 2), we’ve peeled back the curtain and given the stage to our Rising Stars—GPJers who are shaping the future of our business through their leadership, curiosity, and commitment to excellence. Last but most certainly not least, it’s time to meet Rayanne Nolan in Dubai, Hayley Baker in Nashville, and Andrew Lacanienta in San Francisco as they share their
journey-defining perspectives.

Exploring your title a bit more, what does your position entail? And what makes you so passionate about it?

At GPJ MEA, I’m essentially the person making sure creativity and reality stay on speaking terms. While our teams are busy creating incredible experiences for clients, I’m behind the scenes making sure the numbers make sense. I oversee tasks such as budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow to project profitability, financial reporting, and legal requirements. I work closely with operations, accounts, production, and the SLT to keep projects financially healthy, costs under control, revenue recognized correctly, and surprises limited to the events we produce—not the financial statements.

What I enjoy most about being a Financial Controller is the opportunity to combine financial expertise with business strategy. I find it rewarding to take complex financial data and turn it into meaningful insights that support better decision-making across the organization.

What keeps the role interesting is the variety. One day I might be reviewing project profitability and forecasting, and the next I’m collaborating with the operations team to solve a business challenge or improve a process. I enjoy working closely with different stakeholders, explaining the why, and being able to influence decisions through financial insight. I’m passionate about leading and developing my team, helping individuals grow while sharing my experience and insights to support their success. I also enjoy contributing as a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) for the MEA region, collaborating on strategic initiatives that drive business growth and organizational impact. 

Ultimately, what motivates me is knowing that my work has a tangible impact on the success of the business. Whether it’s improving profitability, strengthening cash flow, or helping teams make informed decisions, I enjoy being part of the process that drives positive outcomes. For me, finance is about much more than numbers—it’s about understanding the story behind them and using that knowledge to help the business grow and succeed.

I enjoy collaborating with teams across GPJ and the wider project network, following best practices, and helping implement new processes that improve the way we work. I also really value the support and advice I’ve received from global leaders, and it’s played a key role in helping me learn, grow, and develop in my role.

It sounds like your position requires a level of collaborative leadership that you clearly possess! So, Rayanne—what does leadership look like for you in an experience-led business like GPJ?

In an experience-led business like GPJ, leadership is really about bringing structure to creativity. It’s about connecting different teams—creative, production, accounts, and finance and operations—and making sure everyone is working towards the same outcome. The best leaders I’ve seen don’t just manage tasks; they create clarity, keep momentum going in high-pressure situations, and empower others to do their best work while making sure the business stays commercially sound. I also think great leadership in this environment is about anticipating challenges early, before it impacts delivery. Ultimately, it’s about enabling great work to happen—making sure creative ambition is supported by strong financial and operational foundations so that we can deliver exceptional experiences for clients without compromising on quality or commercial outcomes.

That is a fantastic insight into what leadership looks like at GPJ. Thank you for sharing that with us! Your years of experience have fostered an exceptional mindset. Speaking of mindset, is there a mindset you’ve stuck to over the years that’s helped you grow in your career?

I’ve learned to always look beyond the numbers and ask, “what’s driving this?” and “why?” That shift in mindset has helped me move from simply reporting results to actively influencing decisions. It’s made me more proactive in my approach, encouraged me to ask better, more insightful questions, and allowed me to get involved earlier in the business process. As a result, I’m able to add more long-term value rather than just explaining what the numbers show.

The curiosity to understand is what makes our experiences world-class. Reflecting on everything that you’ve learned along the way, is there any advice you’d give to someone who hopes to achieve Rising Star status in the coming years?

My advice would be to focus on consistently adding value beyond your immediate responsibilities. In finance, it’s easy to become task-focused, but those who really stand out are the ones who understand the bigger picture—how their work impacts the wider business—and who actively look for ways to improve processes, not just complete them.

Building strong relationships across teams and stakeholders, along with staying curious about the “why” behind the numbers, also makes a big difference. Ultimately, demonstrating initiative, ownership, and influence beyond your core role is what helps you move toward Rising Star status.

Final question: what’s one word that describes the work you create?

Insightful.

Thank you for sharing your experiences with us, Rayanne. We’re so lucky to have you on our team!

but I report to the San Francisco office! Bi-Coastal, if you will! My home office is a vibe with my dogs, Pepper and Georgia, lying on their giant pink bed behind me. If you’ve ever been on a call with me, you know to be on the lookout for the pups! Other fun facts about me: 

Halloween is my favorite holiday. If you send me a Slack or email that week, you’ll get a spooky OOO message letting you know I am making the most of my Halloweek!

I have a Great Dane named Pepper who is about the same size as me. 

I am a collector of funky things like a giant ice cream cone, disco balls galore, a 70” skeleton, and so many vintage items. Our house is giving maximalist vintage store. 

Incredible—we will be sure to Slack you on Halloween. So, Hayley, give us some insight into your position. What makes you so passionate about it?

I like to think of my job as being the glue. I’m gluing together the internal team, the clients, the deliverables, and looking at a project holistically. The glue catches things before they fall through the cracks and catches people before they become too overwhelmed. The glue is here to support all the people and things.  

And as the glue for your teams, leadership must be a strong quality of yours! What does leadership look like to you in an experience-led business like GPJ?

Leadership isn’t about sitting in a corner office reviewing spreadsheets; it’s about grit, presence, and culture. To me, leadership at GPJ looks like a blend of strategic vision and dirt-under-the-fingernails grit. It’s about leaders who inspire through action, whether that’s solving a high-stakes labor crisis or being right next to you on the expo floor. They protect the team, cultivate an infectious energy that makes the hard work rewarding, and never lose the joy of creating unforgettable experiences.

It sounds like a lot of experience went into that perspective! Is there anyone who has influenced your growth at GPJ? If so, what did they teach you?

Nicole Feldman. She set the tone for what it meant to be a badass woman in this industry. She led by example, and that example was how to lead with compassion and grit, how to have difficult conversations and speak up for yourself, and most importantly, how to have fun and love what you do. She made a huge impact on my outlook on this industry, and I often filter my thoughts and ideas through a “What Would Nicole Do” thought process. 

Shoutout to GPJers like Nicole who fight to see others win alongside them! Speaking of impact, is there a belief or mindset that you’d like to share that helped you grow in your career?

Relationships are everything. People want to work with people they trust, and they don’t trust people they don’t know. If you lean into the relationships surrounding you on your teams, with your vendors, and with the client, you are going to have a more successful and more fulfilling planning process. My number one rule is to leave every conversation with a fan in that person. 

Let’s end on a fun one: what’s one word that describes the work you create?

Rhythmic (A structured flow that keeps the energy moving smoothly without losing the beat.)

Thank you for sharing your experiences with us, Hayley. We’re so lucky to have you on our team!

Sounds like you’re a perfect fit for the experiential industry, Andrew! Let’s dive into your title a bit more—what does your job entail? What makes you so passionate about your position?

My job is about turning swirl into shape.

That means asking good questions, listening deeply, and understanding where people are, what they need, and what they are trying to accomplish. Then, I translate that information from one language into another, from client needs into creative direction, so our teams have a clear, strategic container to do their best work.

I’m passionate about strategy because it is fundamentally about intention. It is not just about creating an event. It is about designing an experience.

It is about researching, listening, synthesizing, and searching for the insight that changes the way we see the work. The insight that helps a team move from making something nice to making something meaningful.

In many ways, I think of strategists as dream architects. We listen closely enough to understand what people are hoping for, sometimes before they can fully articulate it themselves, and then we help create the conditions to bring those dreams to life.

Spoken like a true leader, Andrew. Reflecting on that, what does leadership look like to you in an experience-led business like GPJ?

Leadership looks different for different people, but for me, it starts with leading heart-first.

It means caring deeply about the people we support, understanding where they are as humans first and coworkers second. It means paying attention to their development, their needs, their goals, and their growth. It means remembering that our role as leaders is not simply to manage people, but to help them succeed.

Because when our people feel supported, seen, and empowered, the work gets better. The culture gets stronger. And our collective success becomes much more meaningful.

Something we cherish about our company is the emphasis we place on our culture. It’s a necessary condition for an environment that cultivates creativity. Is there anything you hope to help shape at GPJ over the next few years?

I hope to help shape a global strategy practice grounded in theory, frameworks, systems, and shared ways of working. A practice that supports excellence across regions creates more consistency in how we approach the work and gives strategists the tools and language to move with confidence.

Just as importantly, I hope to help shape a true community of strategists. One where we learn from each other, support each other, challenge each other, and collectively elevate the value of strategy across GPJ.

Let’s end it with a fun one—what’s one word that describes the work you create?

Grounded.

My work helps clients feel sure, stable, and confident in their decisions. It gives creative teams a strong foundation to build from. It helps experiences feel intentional, human, and rooted in what people actually need.

And in many ways, the work grounds me too. It allows me to show up authentically, stay calm in complexity, and be fully present for whatever the challenge requires.

Thank you for sharing your experiences with us, Andrew. We are so lucky to have each and every one of you on our team. Your unique perspectives, skill sets, and ways of moving through the world are what make GPJ what it is today. Want to meet other incredible minds like Rayanne, Hayley, and Andrew? Check out Part 1 and Part 2 of our Rising Stars series here!