MATTERS
41
Tell us about
Bravo Group,
and your role
there?
How many
events do you
run each year;
do you manage
them all on
your own with
your small
team or do you
get help from
agencies?
How is
sustainability
viewed in
Bravo Group;
is it reflected
in your events
and if so
how?
CN talks to
Alison Fordham,
group events
manager, Bravo
Group and former
CN30 under
Thirty winner
Corporate Eye
Bravo Group comprises three
insurance businesses: Compass,
Broker Network and Ethos
Broking. Our general target
market is insurance brokers, and
that’s who we put on events for.
My role in the company is group
events manager. I have an events
coordinator and internal
coordinator within my team, and
we deliver for all three companies
within the Bravo Group brand, both
internally and externally.
We do quite a lot of internal
events for staff; we have a really
good internal culture here. Our
external events include industry
exhibitions, hospitality days, and
conferences for up to 800.
We run more than 50 events a year
and I manage them all within my
team. In terms of agencies, I do
work with one particular agency to
help with venue-finding because,
as you know, that is a process that
can take a long time.
I also use them for hotel
accommodation for large groups.
My agency will provide me with a
bespoke website where delegates
can book in for big events for over
100 people.
It is a priority of the company and is
built into its ethos. In terms of
events, the way we accommodate
it is to make sure we order correct
quantities. It is about minimal
wastage and being realistic with
how much provision you need for
catering.
We have introduced recyclable
lunch containers and water
bottles. We have also reduced our
‘giveaways’, such as handing out
recyclable coffee cups at one of
last year’s exhibitions.
Another area we have worked on
is to use our local supply chain. We
ran an event for 800 delegates, and
are doing it again this October, in
Harrogate. We use local suppliers,
so rather than increasing our
carbon footprint we are reducing it.
Our AV partners and caterers are
within a 10-mile radius.
www.conference-news.co.uk
How does
Bravo Group
view the
concept of
events; does it
see them as a
powerful
mechanism
within their
inventory? We all know it’s difficult to track
the ROI of events because it’s not
straightforward. But I think Bravo
understands the benefits of the
events that we can bring. I put
together the right briefs, making
sure the purpose is specific and
make sure we have targets to
achieve and to track their
success. They are a good
investment for the brand.
Within the last two years our
events have got bigger, especially
as the company has grown.
Technology has also become
more poignant and this company
recognises that. We’ve replaced
actual conferences and tried to
get everyone together from
around the country for one day on
a live stream rather than doing
two of them a year. Delegates can
watch the broadcast on their
laptops, ask questions, and
answer polls.
Are there any
changes you’d
like to see the
events industry
adopt? One of the biggest changes I’d like
to see is a higher quality provision
of AV at venues. When you book a
meeting room for 80-100
delegates you know they will
provide you with a 6ft screen and
projector. It’s up to the organiser to
then go and source an AV supplier
to match the provision you need. It
would be more attractive to me as
a corporate booker.