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Partner of My PA Limited, Greater London
Originally from Johannesburg, South Africa, Gaenor has 15 years experience as a board level corporate secretary. As a temp, she often had to "hit the ground running", immediately adapting to new surroundings, people and technology. Her bosses and colleagues appreciate her efficiency, adaptability, organisational skills, clear communication style and sense of humour. She quickly masters her new environment, streamlining everything in her path.
After obtaining a diploma in Computer Science, she helped design and maintain user-friendly Informix 4gl databases for clients (a currency trader, national liquor store and a shipping company). It was very stimulating work mentally and invaluable background for mastering new IT systems quickly.
Gaenor was headhunted to the sales team of Showcase Magazine, a high-quality glossy monthly publication for new and established artistic talent in South Africa. The magazine featured photography, art, industrial design, corporate theatre, fashion, and more. Gaenor's passion for the magazine endures to this day. She was dedicated to her clients and generated the highest advertising sales. The publisher closed the magazine for personal reasons.
Drake Personnel recruited Gaenor as a temp PA in sectors across the board - accounting, contract cleaning, television, construction, pharmaceuticals, language training, television, to name a few. Clients included Deloitte & Touche, SmithKline Beecham and Sun City Hotel. Eventually she moved in-house to co-manage the thriving temp desk - interviewing and assessing temporary staff to fulfill the client briefs.
Gaenor took a year out to study kinesiology, a diagnostic and healing technique, and to set up a practice. She joined The South African Breweries, initially as a temp, then as the office administrator on Project Noah, an innovative social plan to develop alternatives for employees who had been retrenched. She continued with an energy healing apprenticeship part-time.
Responding to an article in a local magazine, Gaenor was offered a sales position at CreativeLife - the brainchild of Winnie Kyriakides - which brings motivational speakers to South Africa. She worked on events featuring international legends such as Dr. Wayne Dyer, Deepak Chopra, Suze Orman and Michael Najarian (the Vice President and representative of "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus") until in April 2000 she was offered an opportunity to move to London.
A temp assignment at the Quintiles clinical phase I site, Guy's Drug Research Unit (GDRU), led to a permanent role in HR providing confidential administrative support to approximately 170 staff. At the time of joining, GDRU were planning to implement PeopleSoft in a couple of years. Gaenor designed the interim database with standardised templates and a reporting function. During evenings and weekends, she completed an aromatherapy massage diploma through Neal's Yard Remedies.
The proverbial "trip of a lifetime" through Africa beckoned. When the money ran out, Gaenor returned to temp at various clients such as Allen & Overy LLP, Standard Chartered Bank, Grant Thornton, Legal & General, Working Title Productions, Atlantic Records, Universal Music, Discovery Networks Europe and Time Warner. Colleagues tempted her back into a full-time role at Allen & Overy LLP, where she stayed until her application for voluntary redundancy was accepted. The retraining fund paid for her accreditation to administer the personality profiling tool, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (Step I), which she hopes to use in a private project supporting two psychologists who run personal resilience training workshops.
Gaenor recently received her CRB clearance to work at Kids Company, a charity established by Camila Batmanghelidjh to support vulnerable inner-city children.
Gaenor brings her enthusiasm, skill and creativity to the My PA team to support the brand in London.