Each week we shine the spotlight on a prominent person in Dorset and ask him, or her, for answers to our part fun/part serious questionnaire. This time…

She’d like to be remembered for being kind and making people smile; would nationalise the electricity companies if she was PM for the day; chooses anything with noodles as her favourite food and says the worst thing of her job is paperwork.

Melanie Campbell, Partner, IAM Events/TK4 Global, and Founder, Bournemouth Connect, takes the ‘hot seat’ for our popular 20 Questions.

Question: What is your favourite TV show?

Answer: I have two and I can’t choose between them! I love ‘This is Us’ because it is so emotional, clever and thought-provoking. The other is ‘Killing Eve’; the dark humour is right up my street and I think Jodie Comer is an exceptional actress.

Q: Who would you like to share a car with?

A: Courtney Dauwalter. She is my kind of rockstar. Courtney is an ultrarunning icon who inspires many to challenge what is possible in terms of human endurance. I’d love to share a car with her so she can tell me all her trail hallucination stories and corny jokes! 😊

Q: The best bit of my job is…?

A: Giving people unforgettable experiences with their idols. Getting out and about, meeting and motivating people and allowing both my creative and commercial mindset to thrive. I’ve tried desk jobs; I didn’t like them.

Q: And the worst?

A: Paperwork. Events management comes with a lot of admin, but it is a necessary evil.

Q: Who was your childhood hero?

A: Michael Jackson. I saw him three times in concert. My mum loved him, so I grew up listening to his music. When I was around ten or eleven, I spent many an hour perfecting his dance moves.

Q: What’s your favourite smell?

A: My dog Merlin.

Q: Where’s your favourite place in Dorset?

A: I like to sit at the top of what is called Bats Head. If you hike or walk along from Lulworth or Durdle Door towards Weymouth, you first come across a steep hill called Swyre Head and then on the descent down the other side, you will see a little sea stack on your left. Just beyond that is a chalk cliff. The hole at the bottom is called Bats Hole and the cliff is called Bats Head. I love hiking and have done this route on many occasions. I always take a little time to sit at the top of Bats Head and just drink in the stunning views of Dorset and the white cliffs along the coast. It is a perfect place for me to enjoy a little solitude and collect my thoughts. It is very steep though, so you must be careful with your footing. I live in my trail shoes and don’t mind heights so it’s fine for me.

Q: What advice would you give to anyone starting out on a career?

A: Don’t overthink what you are doing. A good attitude goes much further than always getting things right. Just listen, learn, ask questions and keep moving towards the things that fulfil your own passions.

Q: What was your first record/CD?

A: ‘Back to Life’ by Soul II Soul.

Q: What gets you angry?

A: Misogyny. Corruption. Inequality.

Q: Do you have a favourite piece of music?

A: ‘Set the Fire to The Third Bar’ by Snow Patrol, the Martha Wainwright version.

Q: What are the qualities you look for in a new employee?

A: Good sense of humour and a ‘can-do’ attitude.

Q: What’s your favourite food or dish?

A: Anything with noodles! Preferably a Thai or Malaysian dish with a bit of a kick and a coconut-based sauce.

Q: Steamed sponge pudding and custard or a plate of melon?

A: Sponge pudding and custard obviously.

Q: Name the best thing about living/working in Dorset?

A: The variety of adventures you can go on! I thrive outdoors, hence I am an ambassador for the National Outdoor Expo and the National Running Show. I love that you can be hiking over the Purbecks one day and running or cycling along the prom the next. We have a plethora of options with stunning views and they are all within easy reach.

Q: If you were Prime Minister for the day what would be the first thing you do?

A: I would nationalise electricity companies immediately. They should be non-profit and managed in the national interest of keeping costs down. The directive for energy companies would also be to concentrate on developing solar and wind power, to give us long term self-sufficiency.

Q: What’s your biggest frustration?

A: Our political system. I would like to see a fairer system that gives power to representatives that have integrity and genuinely care about helping people.

Q:  Where’s your favourite holiday location?

A: Anywhere! I love travelling, but I’m partial to islands I can snorkel around or peaks I can summit with amazing views. I’ve swum with over a hundred sharks, whale sharks, dolphins, turtles, manta rays and even octopus. There is absolutely nothing like spending time snorkelling, it is magical. Best places in the world I have snorkelled are the Maldives and an eco-island off the coast of Australia called Lady Elliot Island.

Q: Where do you see yourself in ten years’ time?

A: I don’t really have a ten-year plan as I don’t look that far ahead. I generally take my life year by year and a lot of my planning involves work events; which countries I want to travel to and which challenges I want to take on. Professionally, I would want to be at a point where I am proud of the business we have developed, hopefully working with inspirational stars and brands. Personally, after A LOT of training (!), I’d love to have taken on some iconic global ultramarathons.

Q: What would you like to be remembered for?

A: Being kind and making people smile.