Conferences & Events

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CONFERENCES & EVENTS

Heston’s high five The chef’s top tips on how to cater for the perfect event Page 3

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September 2014

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THE ESSENTIALS

Publisher Bradley Scheffer | Editor Daniel Evans | Production Editor Dan Geary

S

PEND a lot of time talking to customers face-to-face,” American businessman Ross Perot once advised. “You’d be amazed how many companies don’t listen to their customers.”

Technology has certainly streamlined many aspects of business in recent years. Video conferencing means we no longer have to travel across the world to speak to clients, email provides a near-instant way to send documents to coworkers, and remote working enables us to get things done without even setting foot in the office. With so many convenient alternatives you’d be forgiven for thinking there is little reason to meet up in person anymore.

However, while technology provides an efficient and often cost-effective way to do business, it lacks the personal touch of a faceto-face meeting. Relationship building and networking are important in any industry, which perhaps explains why despite the availability of webinars and e-conferences – there were around 1.25 million business events in the UK in 2013, attracting an estimated 91 million delegates.

Despite the huge numbers, smaller, more bespoke events are on the rise, as businesses look to offer more intimate experiences to small groups of guests.

That’s not to say that technology cannot be used to enhance corporate meetings, and in fact two thirds say it is fundamental to their events.

More than three quarters of firms now use Twitter at their events, with 61 per cent making use of iPad voting and event apps. These are trends that we at Business Reporter take advantage of at our own conferences, which are live-tweeted and reported on our websites, with delegates voting in polls on crucial topics – the results of which are published in our awardwinning supplements.

Another attraction of face-to-face events in London is the fantastic array of venues on offer. Whether you wow your guests with the view from the top of the London Eye (left), meet the animals at ZSL London Zoo, or relive the magic of the 2012 Games at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, some of the most prestigious and recognisable buildings on the capital’s skyline are potential locations for your business’s next corporate event.

The huge sporting occasions aren’t over just yet, either. Following the success of the Olympic and Paralympic games two years ago, England will host the Rugby World Cup in 2015. The competition will feature matches at Twickenham, Wembley, and the Olympic Stadium in Stratford,

presenting another great opportunity to impress your partners and customers with corporate hospitality packages and themed events.

This edition of Business Reporter explores what the capital has to offer for your business, whatever kind of event you plan to hold. Leading chef Heston Blumenthal gives his top advice on how to create the right atmosphere and generate a lasting impression, we explore the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park’s world-famous venues, and digital experts give their advice on how to make the most of social media.

There are some fantastic opportunities for unique events in London, and now is a great time to take advantage of them and give your guests something to remember.

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Heston’s high five Celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal shared his top five tips for event catering with londonlaunch.com. Follow them to ensure that your next event goes as smoothly as possible and leaves your guests with a pleasant and memorable experience.

1. Get the welcome right

“The welcome is really important. The front-of-house team at any restaurant or event needs to get the balance just right. You don’t want an over-friendly front-of-house touching your arm, for example!”

2. Be generous

“Generosity is massively important. As a guest, you don’t want to feel that your hosts are being mean with their ingredients or portion sizes.”

3. Don’t try to be too clever

“Doing the simple things really well works. Overstretching the kitchen doesn’t.” It’s the quality and execution of your event rather than fancy food that impresses, he says.

4. Get the timing right

“Timing is crucial. You don’t want the food coming out at different times and keeping people waiting. That’s just a really bad experience for your guests.”

5. Keep it manageable

“Creating a warm, relaxed, intimate experience is really important, and it’s not easy to create that kind of experience when you’ve got a sit-down dinner for 500.”

Foodie craze prompts firms to invest more in events

By Matt Smith BUSINESSES are spending more on food as they move towards smaller, more bespoke events and show off their creativity, according to a survey of London catering companies. The Catering I ndust r y Trends Repor t 2014 by londonlaunch.com showed that more flamboyant elements like street food, food stations and food theatre are on the rise in the capital.

Celebrity chef and multi-sensory cooking pioneer Heston Blumenthal is no st ranger to innovat ion and experimentation. Commenting on the report, he said that the trend reflects a greater movement towards British culinary excellence.

“We’re now in the best period we’ve ever been in for British gastronomy,” he said. “Over the last five years I think we’ve grown to have a much bigger sense of pride and confidence in our food. We’re now a nation of foodies.”

T he sur vey results ref lect t his newfound self-assurance. Fifty-eight per cent of clients are spending more on

catering than they did last year, with a quarter paying between £31 and £50 per head. Corporate events made up 90 per cent of enquires received by the firms surveyed.

But a great dining experience is about more than just the food itself. Blumenthal, who works with catering firm “rhubarb” as well as running his own restaurants, said there is also an array of environmental factors that are crucial to delivering a memorable event.

“It’s perception and emotion that inf luences our food experience,” he explained. “And these perceptions are created and influenced by everything around us, from the space we’re in to the sounds and colours. Even the atmosphere, literally the humidit y, the breeze, everything. All these things change and influence how we experience food.”

Companies are taking advantage of this with more elaborate catering offerings inspired by street food vendors on London’s high streets, offering greater choice through food stalls, and combining great taste with glamorous presentation and food theatre. The report even showed

that innovative chefs are introducing interactive elements and exploring ways to combine new technologies with their food.

It’s amazing what an effect ambience can have. Blumenthal told a londonlaunch. com dinner that if classical music is played in a wine shop, customers will spend 15 per cent more. Music can also affect the speed at which people eat, he said.

Relaxing tracks can slow diners down by 15 per cent, while rock music has the exact opposite effect.

Even the menu can affect the way your event – and your company – is perceived.

If a dish is printed in a fancy font then it is perceived to be more complicated than those in standard typefaces, Blumenthal said – perhaps a point for event producers to remember.

“Putting on an event means taking the same approach that we take in the restaurant,” he said. That can be difficult when your business is serving 500 people, but with smaller, more bespoke events on the rise, the opportunity for your firm to deliver a more personal and memorable experience is growing.

Canary Wharf’s fastest growing training, conference & events provider – now even bigger and better.

CCT Venues-Plus, South Quay is now open for business! This exceptional brand-new waterfront space is moments from South Quay station and offers 26 rooms; conference facilities for up to 400 delegates and an outstanding restaurant.

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Make sure your event has Prestige INDUSTRY VIEW

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hether historic or modern, underground or in the air, afloat or on dry land, Prestige Venues & Events will be able to find you the ultimate venue to stage meetings and events in London.

To make a truly memorable occasion, how about a place where world-changing decisions were made, a warship that once defended the nation, or one of the world’s most modern sustainably-built centres?

You can fly on a cable car to an aviation experience, or enjoy a sumptuous lunch or dinner cruise on the River Thames.

Sodexo Prestige is the proud catering and hospitality partner for all venues and events that are part of the Prestige Venues & Events collection. They also provide hospitality and catering for major events such as the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Henley Royal Regatta and Royal Ascot, to name just a few. Whichever experience takes your fancy, our expert event managers and chefs combined with award-winning hospitality promise to bring your event to life.

You could lead your guests down the steps into the basement of the Treasury building in Whitehall for the event of their lives. Decisions made in Churchill’s

legendary War Rooms created some of Britain’s most historic events – the once-secret underground wartime headquarters is available for business meetings, dinners, receptions, press launches and seminars for up to 400.

History on the water provides another very different experience, in the shape of the last surviving example of a Second World War Royal Navy warship, HMS Belfast. Permanently moored next to Tower Bridge, it has indoor and outdoor event space for conferences, dinners and product launches.

The Upper Deck bar and café is open to the public; three outdoor decks stage themed events during summer and, inside, guests can dine in the Officer’s Mess, climb a gun turret or simply soak up 360-degree views of London.

The Crystal, Siemens’ new £30m centre for urban sustainability in Royal Victoria Dock, is designed to be one of the world’s most sustainable buildings.

Sodexo Prestige’s own innovation and sustainability credentials were key to winning the contract to provide retail, workplace and event catering which incorporates local, seasonal and certified produce. Seven flexible meeting rooms cater for small to large groups and an auditorium for up to 270 people. Large

Sodexo Prestige provides catering at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show

spaces inside and out are suitable for trade shows, product launches and events.

London’s newest public attraction, the Emirates Aviation Experience in North Greenwich, gives visitors the chance to “fly” two Airbus 380s and two Boeing 777s, and to experience an interactive aviation journey. Sodexo Prestige operates its front-of-house and ticketing services, technical services, retail shop, and onsite café.

Stunning river views of London are a unique talking point for an exclusive

event on the Thames and Bateaux London hosts anything from drinks or networking receptions, gala dinners and award ceremonies, private celebrations and conference dinners. The Harmony and Symphony are available for private hire throughout the year and the Bateaux events team are on hand to help plan and create a memorable and engaging occasion.

0845 6055 699 PrestigeVenuesAndEvents.sodexo.com

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By Matt Smith

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N ELECTRIC atmosphere gripped the capital during London 2012 and, although the Games are long gone, it’s hard not to feel some of the excitement again when visiting the newly reopened Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford.

The north part of the complex was opened less than a year after the Games in July 2013, and the south of the park, including the skylinedominating ArcelorMittal Orbit, reopened in April. Both areas feature a variety of venues suitable for corporate events.

With the Olympic and Paralympic rings still visible it is impossible not to think back to 2012, but the London Legacy Development Corporation’s director of venues Peter Tudor says there are more factors that make the park unique.

“It’s easy to say ‘the Olympic heritage’ but it is a bit more than that,” he says. “Actually, it is the range of versatile venues. We can be a very traditional meeting venue, but we have some extraordinary spaces that you won’t find anywhere else. The Olympic heritage is definitely there, but we are not just living in the past.”

One of the most striking buildings in the park is the London Aquatics Centre, designed by Zaha Hadid. Temporary seating installed for the Games has been removed and replaced by huge glass windows – just one example of the park’s built-in legacy design.

The pool is now open to the public. Above the remaining 2,500 seats is a balcony area available

With the 2012 Olympics done and dusted, London now has a whole new suite of attractive venues to take advantage of

The conference suite at the ArcelorMittal Orbit; below: Peter Tudor of the London Legacy Development Corporation

for event use, with a smaller room on the upper level for functions such as meetings and press conferences that require less space.

But perhaps the most interesting space is the pool area itself, which can be used in a cabaret format with entertainment on the water – a synchronised swimming display, for example.

But braver companies and their delegates can find opportunities to get more directly involved elsewhere in the park.

“Another unique addition is things that you could get your delegates doing something that

Dressed to impress Four other top venues to consider in the capital Science Museum Located in South Kensington, the Science Museum (below) is host to a variety of spaces for corporate events. One of the most interesting rooms is the Energy Hall, whose centrepiece is the 1903 Harle Syke Mill engine, which can be operational during events. The colour-changing roof can be set to match a company’s branding and the eight-metre-high Energy Ring can display a welcome message for guests.

Conferences & events

ZSL London Zoo For an interesting change of scenery, London Zoo offers a range of suites and meeting rooms that overlook animals’ habitats. Its 5,000 species will always create a talking point, and guests can even meet the creatures themselves with exclusive demonstrations and up-close experiences. There’s also an option to hold social and networking events within seven of the zoo’s animal houses, whose occupants range from bugs and rainforest creatures to reptiles and Komodo dragons.

O2 Arena Speakers can grace the same stage occupied by Beyoncé, Rihanna, Muse, and other bigname acts at the O2 Arena in North Greenwich. The venue has

the capacity for as many as 20,000 guests, although the stage can be brought forward for smaller functions. If your firm’s event would suit a smaller space then you’ll also find Indigo at The O2, Building Six, the Green Room and more under the same roof.

London Eye Treat guests to a luxurious evening on top of one of the London skyline’s most iconic structures at the London Eye. Invite up to 25 people aboard a private capsule and take in the city from the air, or book the Dining at 135 experience for a three-course gourmet meal for up to eight people, including a ten-minute pause at 135 metres for the opportunity to take personal photographs.

they couldn’t do anywhere else,” Tudor says.

Previous corporate guests have taken lessons in basketball from the Copper Box Arena’s resident team or abseiled from the 114.5 metre-high ArcelorMittal Orbit, which sits next to the stadium.

The iconic red sculpture has two levels that can be used for corporate events. Both viewing decks offer spectacular views from central London and the City to Canary Wharf, as well as of the park itself. One firm even shocked its guests with a trapeze artist performing in the open-air box in the centre of the platforms, dangling 80 metres above the ground.

Other event venues include the newly-built Podium building, which houses a café and a space for meetings and conferences on the upper floor, and the Timber Lodge, which has a room for hire suitable for around 100 guests.

With all of these exciting Olympic venues and tourist attractions it might be easy to forget about the park itself, but there are some beautiful redeveloped spaces within its 560 acres.

“Some of them are quite extraordinary with amazing views,” Tudor says. “There are big spaces where particularly experiential events can happen. These can be made private or can incorporate other parts of the park.”

The potential for corporate events at the park will also increase with the number of businesses in the area. Stratford is receiving plenty of post-Olympic investment, and in 2010 Prime Minister David Cameron set out plans that could see Tech City expand as far east as the park. More recently, it was announced in July that Stratford’s stations will move from Zone 3 to Zone 2 in January 2016, to provide a boost to jobs and visitor numbers.

The move was part of Mayor of London Boris Johnson’s plans to create a new cultural and educational hub within the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park called Olympicopolis, which will feature developments from the V&A museum and University College London and is set to create 10,000 jobs in the East End. Broadcaster BT Sport’s channels are already based at the former International Broadcast Centre and the Financial Conduct Authority and Transport for London are both moving their headquarters to new buildings at the park.

“There is a whole range of business locations in the immediate vicinity of the park and within the park,” Tudor says. Proximity to business centres is a positive, but overall it is the quality of venues and events that satisfies clients and keeps them coming back, and Tudor is confident that the park will continue to impress visitors.

“Part of the thing about hospitality is that it is a part of the great events tradition that the games showcased in 2012,” he reflects. “Having venues that could then be used, that we designed for that, is a part of that legacy.”

It’s a trend that is set to continue. When the park’s stadium reopens in 2016 as the home of West Ham United and the National Competition Centre for athletics in the UK, it too will feature spaces suitable for meetings and events.

Tudor says the changes and adapted venues reflect what the team said during the park’s development ahead of the Olympic Games. “We said, if you are hunting for a white elephant, this is not the place, because we simply do not have any,” he says, reiterating that the London 2012 venues were designed with future use and legacy in mind.

“Wherever you look in this park you can see it.”

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The debate What makes for a great corporate event?

A great corporate event is one that delivers (or, even better, overdelivers) on its objectives.

So deciding from the start what the event needs to accomplish is key.

Ask yourself what you want the audience to feel and do as a result of attending your event. Is it to buy or recommend a specific product?

Feel empowered and motivated to achieve company targets? Or simply to feel valued and stay with your business? Measurable goals should be agreed, then an itinerary crafted that meets them – while delighting your audience. Venue, location, design, speakers, team events, entertainment… all must be aligned if you are to achieve great results.

A dedicated event-management company can help you ask and answer these questions, so that together you design a programme that influences your audience behaviour to achieve the event’s objective. That way both you and your guests will be delighted they attended.

A great event is multifaceted. Content must be relevant, topical and delivered by strong speakers. You need a good audience – a critical mass of engaged individuals. Then you need the right venue to ensure the event becomes great, a poor venue could ruin it.

Advanced planning ensures clear understanding of requirements.

Registration should be welcoming and efficient, with key information for delegates. The layout and plenty of space are important. Keep seats reserved for guests and late arrivals.

The room should start cold, bodies will heat it up!

AV presentations should be tested, speakers miked up in advance and technicians accessible. You need plenty of space for networking and excellent refreshments, but nothing heavy. Service should be fast, efficient and friendly.

Speakers frequently change timetables – a good venue is ready with solutions, changing break times, loading new presentation and so on.

Collect feedback, and learn from it!

A potent mix of (organic) ingredients.

An intriguing invitation – both visually and textually. An alluring venue in an accessible location – preferably one most of your delegates haven’t been to before.

Great catering is essential from both quality and quantity perspectives.

Evening events are “dinner” whether you intend them to be or not. Your guests will be hungry, and thirsty.

Always. Your event staff are your ambassadors – choose them carefully as they’re your front line.

Ensure your content is dynamic, exciting and informative – this could be an inspiring keynote speaker or a sensational entertainer. Invite the right people and create anticipation among guests using social media and hashtags. That way, your delegates are your publicists and you’ll get a better turn-out. Don’t forget the photographer or videographer!

Legacy is crucial and quality collateral will help your event live on because what happens at your event stays on Facebook…

Every day dozens of conferences, congresses and large meetings take place up and down the UK. What makes them good? As far as Britain for Events is concerned, one of the main factors is that they take place in Britain!

The UK is an amazing place to host conferences; we have dynamic, contemporary, historic and unique venues; cities with heritage, personality, architecture, hotels and attractions; we have stunning landscapes, countryside and country retreats.

We’re an event-going public – we like social learning, live entertainment, and being part of something. So in October we’re celebrating the UK events Industry with National Events Month; a festival of activity that showcases events taking place in the UK. Every – and any – event can be a part of it, so go to nationaleventsmonth.co.uk and #NEMO if you’re hosting an event in October.

020 8404 0034 www.kdmevents.co.uk

020 3588 3700 caroline@cctvenues.co.uk

020 7471 2600 will.broome@londonlaunch.com

+44 (0)1892 617904 nationaleventsmonth.co.uk

A spirited approach to the brief allows us to create ingenious solutions, leading to a trusted relationship with our client, and their audience.

Any great event starts with a careful examination of the client’s brief in order to define the communication mechanic, to ensure the audience is inspired, motivated and understands the message.

A solid network of suppliers, supported by a strong in-house team and infrastructure, allows all aspects of the event to be treated as important as the next. Creativity and industry knowledge is imperative to the success of an event, allowing the client to communicate their message in an inspiring and engaging way.

Live events are unique in their way of working – you only get one chance to deliver success, this in itself an experience that can intimidate clients. Yet my role, as producer, is to be resilient and in control throughout to make a great corporate event. www.aspect.ltd.uk

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Events firms prioritising social responsibility

Social media now a big part of the events menu

By Matt Smith

ExpertInsight

ONE OF the fastest-moving parts of the events industry is the world of social media marketing and engagement, which is constantly adapting to new technologies and features.

“I think every time Mark Zuckerberg sneezes we have to change what we do,” says Cemanthe McKenzie, managing director at New Media Angels. She adds that content relevant to a specific event’s audience is more important than ever.

“Events are becoming more and more targeted and that is a good thing.”

Ruth Harper, head of digital at communications company Onyx, says the need for this content has presented new challenges to event organisers.

“All of the things around a live event have had to raise their game,” she says. So what can businesses do to make the most of their events’ social media campaigns?

According to Harper, the first step is to identify who the audience is and which channels they are using. Then organisers can interact with

them, posting event details and links to highquality content on relevant themes. “The key is to create a buzz around what exactly is going to be happening,” she says. A sales-orientated message won’t generate engagement, she adds.

“That kind of broadcast-y, sales-y message can be quite off-putting.”

Once a firm has identified its audience, it is time to create a hashtag – something McKenzie says many companies fail to do before event day.

“The best thing is to create the hashtag in advance and send out information on it,” she says.

When tweeting, it is important to leave space for engagement. “Keep your tweets very short and leave room so they can be retweeted,” Harper explains. “Do not use up all your characters.

Otherwise it is very hard for people to amplify what you are saying.” By leaving some space, firms allow their guests to manually retweet posts along with their own comments while retaining the event’s own Twitter handle.

McKenzie says a successful social media campaign gives guests “a platform to feel

engaged”. People “like to have their two cents’ worth”, she adds. This makes a Twitter wall – a screen showing tweets on the event hashtag – a great way to build some excitement, but the organiser should filter what appears. Make sure you have some editorial control, warns Harper.

Post-event it’s time to take stock of both the content generated and engaged users. “Follow attendees on Twitter and add them to a list,” Harper says. “That way firms can ask more questions and get as much feedback as possible to improve future events.”

McKenzie suggests aggregating social media content into blog posts and inviting attendees to write their own. “They are more likely to share what they wrote,” she explains, comparing the post-event drip-feed of content to a slow-release multi-vitamin supplement.

“Events by their nature are social,” reflects Harper. After all, when else will your business have hundreds – or even thousands – of people all in one place and willing to interact with your brand on Facebook and Twitter?

FIRMS IN all industries are increasingly adopting corporate social responsibility schemes, and the events sector is no exception. From serving healthy foods to reducing energy waste, there are plenty of opportunities to improve efficiency and help local communities.

Catering and facilities management group Sodexo introduced its Better Tomorrow Plan in 2009 to combine its efforts to promote health and wellbeing, improve the geographical areas it operates in, and protect the environment by cutting waste and boosting efficiency.

“It’s a genuine commitment,” says Chris John, managing director of Sodexo Prestige. “It’s not a tick-box exercise that a company feels it needs to have in its annual report.”

As part of the programme, the company encourages its employees to live healthily – a trend it hopes will transfer to its clients and their employers. Sodexo opts for healthier choices at its events. For example, fruit may be served instead of having a bowl of sweets on the table.

Other areas of the plan include charity work and better waste management. John says the firm strives to use biodegradable materials and serves Fairtrade food wherever possible, and kitchen practices have changed to minimise waste – by recycling oils, for example.

“It’s a really important part of what we do, and the clients that we’re after want more than the standard processes,” John says. “They want us to achieve all the requirements around ISO and BS – environmental systems and processes that we take very seriously.”

All aboard for a ship-shape event…

INDUSTRY VIEW

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oored on London’s Thames Embankment, opposite the Temple Underground station, the historic HQS Wellington offers a unique and captivating backdrop for corporate events.

“It looks like, feels like, and is a ship, but it’s beautifully appointed and equipped for the corporate market,” says Mark Grove, managing director of The Cook & The Butler, which manages events and catering on board.

“You have lovely views up and down the iver Thames, with spectacular views of Westminster and the City.”

Built in 1933, the Wellington performed convoy escort duties in the Atlantic during the Second World War, and was active at Dunkirk and the North African landings. Before this, however, the ship enjoyed a more luxurious past. “It used to sail out of Wellington in New Zealand visiting the islands, showing the flag in that era of 1936-39, which was the height of luxury,” Grove explains, and it’s that grand atmosphere that the HQS Wellington’s staff strive to maintain.

Retired at the end of the war, the Wellington was converted into a livery hall by The Honourable Company of Master Mariners, and received a major refurbishment in 1991. “It is a world away from anywhere,” says Grove.

“The HQS Wellington is there just for you. When you arrive the ship is open for your event and you’re the only people on board, and the level of hospitality is geared to that. It’s unique in its quality.”

From boardroom-style meetings for 20 people to lunches and dinners for 120 and barbecues for 250,

the Wellington provides a flexible and unique space for corporate events.

“People who plan events on the HQS Wellington expect to receive the best hospitality, the best service, and the best quality of food,” says Grove. “The staff on the HQS Wellington go the full distance to make them welcome.” www.thecookandthebutler.co.uk www.hqswellingtonship.co.uk

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Inspiring audiences through live events INDUSTRY VIEW

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ace-to-face events offer companies a rare opportunity to increase performance, build long-term trust and effect real and lasting business change. The energy created by drawing people together in this way means there is no better way to align staff, generate workable solutions, create emotional impact and engender real ownership of your brand and its values.

However, the impact of holding events can stretch way beyond this.

It’s well known that organisations that encourage involvement and participation among their workforce have higher productivity, better morale, deeper client relationships and lower staff turnover.

On top of this, bringing your people together in one place is the most effective way to help colleagues develop their skills and get the mechanisms they need to put new ideas into practice.

This is because audience involvement and empowerment brings vision and strategy to life, motivates passion and confidence, and creates advocacy and engagement. In short, a face-to-face

event will provide lasting inspiration for your colleagues, customers, company and community in a more effective way than any other means of communication.

In these times when companies are undergoing a huge amount of change, and budgets remain tight, you need to involve the very people who are being required to change, because they in turn then own support and enthuse about what they have been involved in creating. This is where live events can deliver real return on investment.

When delivered well, face-to-face events create a better understanding and emotional connection to your brand because they allow people to experience cultural and behavioural emotions, as well as other peoples’ perspectives, in a more direct and immediate way.

Ultimately, a live event is the most effective and cost-efficient way to ignite the spark and energy that face-to-face engagement provides. If you want to see real ROI, ask yourself what price can you put on an inspired organisation? team@aspect.ltd.uk www.aspect.ltd.uk

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