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After the success of the #AEORunClub in 2024, it is back for 2025!
Join us as we do a leisurely run around Manchester to set us up for the day ahead.
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The AEO Conference chair will welcome the audience and give a rundown of what's in store for the day.
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A sharp, strategic recap of the day’s key messages-and where we go from here.
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Hosted by Fusion. Raise a glass, reconnect with peers, and relax into the evening.
Kindly sponsored by
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Great food, lively chat, and a chance to continue the conversation with industry leaders.
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From Singapore to San Francisco, this session brings together global voices including and Greg Hitchen to discuss the state of international growth, resilience strategies, and what it really takes to deliver high-performance events across markets.
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The traditional trade show is evolving. This session explores how organisers are creating richer, more immersive, community-first experiences-with festivalisation, fringe formats, and content-driven strategy leading the way.
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The opening address will explore how disruption is reframing the rules of engagement in the events industry. Expect a bold take on why organisations that evolve decisively-not cautiously-are primed to lead the future.
Sponsored by:
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A chance to pause, recharge and reconnect with fellow attendees.
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Phil Soar in conversation with Mel Smith on her career shift from retail into events. A candid look at cross-sector leadership, building trust quickly, and how investment backing is enabling big thinking.
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Refreshments and informal conversation.
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Arrivals, badge collection, and welcome refreshments.
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Peter Jones opens up to Ruth Carter about what it really takes to grow a business-and change its culture in the process. From hands-on leadership to letting go, this intimate conversation will resonate with anyone navigating scale and legacy in tandem.
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Piers Bearne, Matthew Butler and a panel of commercial thinkers explore the mechanics of revenue growth in the modern era. From hosted buyer models to media monetisation and new sales structures, this session dives into what’s working-and what’s next.
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Unlocking better planning, smarter data and confident teams
AI is no longer a future trend. It’s here, reshaping how event businesses plan, decide, and grow. This session is designed for senior leaders who want to go beyond experimentation and use AI in ways that truly drive performance. We’ll explore how AI can strengthen your business planning, unlock value from your data, and enhance the way your teams work—without losing the human touch.
You’ll leave with practical tools, live examples, and a clear sense of how to apply AI to the areas that matter most—alongside the principles that ensure its use remains responsible, consistent, and aligned with your brand.
AEO Conference 2024
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Testimonials
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The AEO Conference is an important forum because it brings together change makers in the event industry, I'm also looking forward to networking with some great people as well.
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The AEO Conference has always been a really important forum, it talks about some of the kind of key topics and trends and certainly as I've sort of developed throughout my career it's always topics around mergers and acquisitions or where the industry is going or the pivot to digital it's always given us really good talking points and things to think about.
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The conference was a fantastic experience, truly living up to its theme 'Motivate. Innovate. Create.' The speakers were highly engaging and entertaining, offering invaluable insights into key industry topics. Well done, Team AEO!
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HEADLINE SPONSORS
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Event Sponsors
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