Natalia Piletskaya is the owner of GALAKTIKA, a destination management and event company based in St. Petersburg that provides MICE services all across Russia. She has been an MPI member since 2004 and was the first MPI member from Russia. She has a bachelor of science degree in English language and literature from State University of St. Petersburg. She is attending IMEX in Frankfurt this week.
When you were young, what did you want to do when you grew up?
When I was a student at the university, my dream was to be a guide and show beautiful St. Petersburg (at that time Leningrad) to the foreign guests coming to the city. My first job was being an English-speaking guide. After my career as a guide, I worked at one of the hotels as a manager of guest relations and then as a director of service department for Interest. I then worked for a DMC company in St. Petersburg and after that became the co-owner of GALAKTIKA.
What do you love about your job?
The challenge and making the people happy. The positive feedback of the customers is rewarding.
How has MPI helped your career?
I have been working in travel and hospitality for quite a while. But in 2004, I joined MPI and the sessions I attended gave me additional education for the meeting industry. Now I use this experience every day at work and share with my colleagues in the office. It helps to raise the company prestige and makes us successful.
What’s the best advice someone gave you?
Keep going...
What advice would you give to someone considering a career in meetings and events?
Keep going and have patience.
Bonus question: What are you most passionate about outside of your career?
I love St. Petersburg, my home city, and my garden at my dacha in the countryside.
