For IM Group, its 50th anniversary was an opportunity to celebrate both the milestone and the individuals, past and present, who shaped the organisation over five decades. It was also a chance to bring them together for an experience unlike anything the company had attempted before, honouring the company’s heritage while looking ahead to the next chapter of its journey.
Founded in 1976 by entrepreneur Lord Edmiston, IM Group, previously International Motors, has grown from its automotive roots into a diverse family of businesses spanning property, philanthropy and commercial ventures, without losing the values and culture that have defined it from the beginning.
With employees working across multiple businesses and locations, opportunities to come together as one organisation can be rare; the 50th anniversary presented a unique moment to gather the wider IM Group family for a shared event.
IM Group partnered with BI WORLDWIDE to create a celebration that would recognise the contribution of its people, showcase the company’s remarkable journey and create memories that would last long after the event itself had ended. At the heart of the brief was a simple belief: IM Group’s success had been built by its people, and its future would be shaped by them too.
Andrew Edmiston, managing director at IM Group, said: “I knew straight away that I wanted the event to be focused on staff. We need to remind people that our history is full of overcoming challenges, people working together in teams.”
A simple idea with a powerful meaning
The event theme, ‘Together | Stars’, carried a deliberate pause between the two words, inviting reflection on both individual contribution and collective achievement. Inspired by the family’s faith and symbolism of the stars as a source of guidance, possibility and shared purpose, the theme drew together several strands of IM Group’s story. It reflected the enduring connection between the Subaru brand and the Pleiades constellation, while celebrating the way people come together around common goals and ambitions. More than a creative concept, ‘Together | Stars’ recognised the role every employee had played in the company’s success and the part they would continue to play in shaping its future.
Importantly, the celebration wasn’t reserved for leadership teams or long-serving employees. Every member of staff received an invitation, regardless of role or seniority, with each guest encouraged to bring a plus one:
“There’s not many businesses these days that would invite every single member of staff and a guest to celebrate together,” said Jade Ball, head of events at BI WORLDWIDE. “It didn’t matter what level you were in the organisation. Everybody was included, and that made it incredibly special.”
Monaco – a place ‘like nowhere else’
Monaco provided the perfect setting for this special occasion. Over four days, 867 employees and guests travelled from across the UK and overseas to take part in the celebrations. Central to the experience was the iconic Fairmont Monte Carlo, one of the principality’s most recognisable hotels, positioned between the Mediterranean coastline and Monaco’s world-famous street circuit.
The timing added an extra layer of excitement. As the Monaco E-Prix brought the city’s streets to life, delegates enjoyed a front-row seat to the action. From hotel balconies and hospitality suites overlooking the circuit, guests watched world-class motorsport unfold against a backdrop of superyachts, sunshine and sweeping sea views. BI WORLDWIDE also secured all 500 bedrooms at the hotel, becoming the first agency to deliver a complete bedroom buyout at the Fairmont Monte Carlo.
The result was a unique sense of exclusivity, transforming the hotel into a temporary home for the entire IM Group community.
Looking back and looking forward
While the weekend was rooted in celebration, it also served as an important platform for the future of the business. Two conference sessions, hosted by broadcaster Fiona Bruce, brought employees together to hear directly from leaders across the organisation. The UK car division hosted its IML Live event, providing an update on business performance and priorities for the year ahead, while a dedicated group-wide conference united employees from across the organisation for the first time. The sessions introduced the group’s new board and leadership strategy, creating an opportunity to engage and inform employees while sharing a clear vision for the future.
“The challenge might be different, but they’re no more difficult, and we need the same grit and determination, the same teamwork and togetherness, to move forward into the next 50,” added Edmiston.
The remainder of the programme encouraged delegates to make the most of their surroundings. Hospitality spaces overlooking the famous circuit provided spectacular viewing throughout race weekend, while Monaco itself offered plenty of opportunities for exploration and relaxation.
A weekend to remember
The defining moment of the celebrations arrived on Saturday evening. Guests gathered at Monaco’s Grimaldi Forum and were welcomed into an exhibition space that charted IM Group’s journey across five decades. Classic vehicles from the company’s automotive heritage stood alongside displays showcasing milestones from across the wider business including IM Properties and Spitfire Homes, giving attendees the chance to discover the story of the organisation in a tangible and engaging way. Then came the centrepiece of the weekend.
As guests took their seats inside the auditorium, the lights dimmed and a bespoke production, 10 months in the making, began to unfold. Across seven carefully curated chapters, IM Group’s story was brought to life through film, music and powerful visual storytelling. What made the experience particularly special was that every note of music was performed live.
BI WORLDWIDE assembled a 50-piece orchestra and 40-person choir specifically for the event, creating a soundtrack that accompanied the films, which had been produced using a mixture of animation, documentary and virtual production techniques, in real time. The scale of the undertaking was immense, involving more than 150 musicians, technicians and production specialists, including six days of choreographed lighting design.
“It was absolutely bespoke and created specifically for IM Group,” Ball added. “When people realised there was a live orchestra performing the soundtrack, there was this huge gasp in the room. It was a real experience and unlike anything most of the audience had ever seen before.”
As the final chapter ended, the audience rose to its feet in a standing ovation.
The emotional impact was felt across the room, with one retired employee, who had been with the business since its earliest days, reflecting: “We thought when we retired that there could never be that close sense of camaraderie and connection among the staff again. I don’t know how you’ve done it, but it’s still here. I can still feel it.”
Closing the celebrations together
The final evening on Sunday brought the event to a fitting close. Guests came together for the evening called ‘A Night in Monaco’, a celebration featuring food, music and entertainment, with the highlight courtesy of The Imposters, a band made up of IM Group employees led by Edmiston on drums and a special appearance from Lord Edmiston himself, who opened the evening before Rick Parfitt Jnr’s RPJ Band took to the stage.
For MD Andrew Edmiston, the event delivered exactly what it set out to achieve: “I wanted people to understand that we have a history and legacy of overcoming difficulties and challenges, and that it’s working together that enables us to succeed.”
Reflecting on the weekend, one employee said: “I’ve worked for two and a half years for this company, and I’ve decided now I want to work here forever.”