Open to opportunities

Giovanna Gerardi

@giovannagerardi

Message

Operations and Project Delivery professional specializing in end-to-end live venue execution and guest experience.

Italy

Message

What I'm looking for

I’m looking to lead end-to-end venue and protocol operations for major live events, translating complex plans into resilient on-site execution, improving readiness and KPIs, and delivering exceptional service across multi-stakeholder teams.

I’m an Operations and Project Delivery professional with 7+ years in hospitality and live events, including two Olympic Games and multiple large-scale international programs. I’m known for decisive ownership across the full lifecycle—from readiness and planning to live operations and execution.

In my current Deputy Venue Manager role for Milano Cortina 2026, I delivered end-to-end Event Services operations for a major Olympic and Paralympic venue, supporting safe, high-quality FOH/BOH experiences for 7,000+ guests per day. I drove completion of the Master Schedule and built operational trackers used for IOC/IPC reviews and cross-functional alignment.

I specialize in venue-specific operational frameworks that integrate functional areas, suppliers, and stakeholders—strengthening risk frameworks, access-control models, and crowd-flow strategies to improve predictability and operational resilience. I also integrated multi-FA operational plans (EVM, Security, Hospitality, Health & Safety, Transport) so every decision reflects real venue capacity and constraints.

Earlier, as Protocol Project Manager for Paris 2024, I managed sensitive protocol operations for Heads of State, Ministers, IOC/IPC members, and high-profile delegations—handling VIP access and movements, contingency planning, and volunteer team performance. Across hospitality roles, I’ve developed SOPs and operational guidelines, managed operational KPIs and audits, and led premium guest experience delivery in high-volume luxury environments.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Deputy Venue Manager

Current

EVS

Jan 2025 - Present (1 year 5 months)

Delivered end-to-end event services for a Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic & Paralympic venue, ensuring safe FOH/BOH experiences for 7,000+ guests per day across stakeholder groups. Built venue readiness and operational frameworks (master schedule, risk/access-control, crowd-flow), integrated multi-functional plans, and led teams of 26 supervisors and 180 volunteers, including Athletes’ Parade & Seatin

Venue Operations Master Scheduling Risk Management Access Control Crowd Flow Management IOC IPC Delivery Hospitality Safety

PRT Protocol Project Manager

Paris 2024

Apr 2024 - Oct 2024 (6 months)

Managed sensitive protocol operations for Heads of State, Ministers, IOC/IPC members, and high-profile delegations during Paris 2024. Developed contingency plans for changes, supervised 160 volunteers, led VIP access and movements (accreditation, routes, timing with transport/security), and ensured compliance through live execution and coordination across protocol, venue operations, and security.

VIP Contingency Plan Operations Coordination Volunteer Management Security Coordination Compliance Stakeholder Management Risk Mitigation

Operational Brand Delivery Manager

Palladium Hotel Group

Mar 2023 - Mar 2024 (1 year)

Delivered premium service standards across multiple five-star properties, ensuring consistent guest experiences in high-volume luxury environments. Developed SOPs and operational workflows, managed operational KPIs and audits, and maintained cost-related documentation to support decision-making.

Hospitality Operations SOP Development Performance Dashboards Auditing Process Improvement Guest Experience Operational Readiness

Associate Manager

Palladium Hotel Group

Apr 2019 - Mar 2023 (3 years 11 months)

Managed complex hospitality operations generating €10M+ monthly revenue while delivering operational precision and high-quality guest experiences. Oversaw cost-tracking tools and issue-management systems, managed an approximately €500,000 FF&E and OS&E budget, and achieved €57K in upgrades sold in July 2019.

Hospitality Operations Revenue Management Cost Tracking Issue Management Operational Trackers Guest Experience Performance Monitoring

VIP Event Coordinator

Ushuaia Entertainment

Apr 2022 - Oct 2022 (6 months)

Coordinated venue operations, VIP communication, and cross-functional logistics to ensure smooth guest flow and operational readiness. Resolved live operational issues during events and ensured compliance with safety, quality, and operational standards.

Event Logistics Cross functional Coordination Guest Flow Management Operational Readiness Safety Compliance Service Quality Management Multilingual Communication

Personal Financial Advisor

Banca Widiba - MPS

Jan 2017 - Mar 2018 (1 year 2 months)

Delivered personalized financial advisory and managed client portfolios in a regulated environment. Ensured compliance with banking policies and documentation standards while providing structured problem-solving and service-oriented delivery.

Financial Advisory Client Portfolio Management Regulatory Compliance Documentation Standards Risk Management Client Communication Service Delivery Problem Solving