Almost 90 event and experiential agency leaders gathered in New York last week for the inaugural micebook C-Suite Event Agency Growth Summit, created in partnership with entrepreneur and event industry advisor Howard Givner, to discuss the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of the industry.
C-Suite leaders from global and US agencies including George P Johnson, The Opus Group, INVNT, Sparks, FIRST, NVE Experience Agency, Kenes Group, MCI USA, Unbridled Solutions, Brands at Work, Meetings & Incentives Worldwide, Creative Group, Cohera, emc3, Etherio Group and more were among those attending the one-day summit, which explored topics ranging from AI and talent retention to M&A, private equity, sustainability and scaling agency businesses.
A group of UK leaders from the micebook nineteen agency leaders’ community joined the event, including representatives from Strata, Yellow Fish, Top Banana, DRPG, Chorus, Cheerful Twentyfirst and Amex GBT. Ahead of the summit, the group took part in a bespoke pre-event programme in partnership with The Shackman Group New York, including a leadership in crisis experience at the NYC 9/11 Memorial & Museum focused on leading, decision-making and resilience in times of extraordinary challenge.
The programme also included a pre-summit drinks reception at Wythe Hotel Brooklyn, bringing together UK and US agency leaders ahead of the main event.
The summit itself opened with agency leaders sharing the biggest challenges currently shaping their businesses, with several common themes quickly emerging across the room.
Talent retention, AI, evolving client expectations, pricing models, scaling sustainably and navigating consolidation across the agency landscape were among the issues most frequently raised. Several leaders also spoke candidly about the pressures of growth, shorter timelines, increasingly complex approval processes and the challenge of balancing operational excellence with growing client demands.
This was followed by a packed day of thought leadership sessions and panel discussions moderated by Givner, featuring agency founders, CEOs, private equity leaders and industry experts.
The evolving M&A and private equity landscape quickly emerged as one of the dominant themes throughout the day. Leaders from EagleTree Capital, Shamrock Capital and H.I.G Capital discussed growing investor interest in the experiential sector, pointing to increasing demand for live experiences and the opportunity to build scaled platforms across the industry.
Sessions also explored the realities of integrating acquired businesses, with speakers including Kim Kopetz, president and CEO of The Opus Group, Trevor Hanks, CEO of Cohera, and Rob Adams, partner and CEO of Bishop-McCann, discussing the opportunities and complexities that come with bringing together different operating models, teams and cultures.
Talent and culture remained front and centre throughout the summit, with multiple discussions focused on leadership, retention and building resilient businesses. Speakers discussed the importance of values-led cultures, protecting teams during periods of rapid growth and change, and the increasing role flexibility and freelance talent now plays across the industry.
AI and its impact on agency business models was another major topic throughout the day, with discussions focusing on how agencies move beyond experimentation and begin embedding AI into workflows, operations and long-term strategy. Speakers explored the shift from simply using AI tools to fundamentally rethinking how businesses operate, while also stressing the importance of maintaining creativity, human connection and culture within an increasingly automated landscape.
The summit also explored the realities of scaling founder-led businesses, in a session featuring Ryan Simonetti, co-founder and CEO of Convene Hospitality Group, and Reggie Aggarwal, founder and CEO of Cvent. The discussion examined evolving leadership styles, organisational complexity and the challenges that come with scaling businesses from start-up to global organisations.
Despite the challenges discussed, there was a strong sense of optimism around the future of the experiential sector and the continued value of live experiences. As one agency leader noted: “we all recognise what a moment the experiential space is having right now.”
Agency CEOs, founders and leaders valued the opportunity to connect with peers from across the industry to exchange ideas, share solutions to common challenges, explore opportunities and build new relationships.
We’d like to thank all partners and sponsors who supported the inaugural event, including Convene Hospitality Group (CHG) and host venue NeueHouse Madison Square, our technology partner CrowdComms, Wythe Hotel Brooklyn and The Shackman Group New York.
Sponsors included Swiss Tourism, Plannernet, Cvent, Wizard Studios and VOX Productions, Soundings and Event Cost Sheet.
Stay tuned for further coverage from the summit, including a detailed post-event report and video interviews from the US edition of micebook’s Unfiltered series.