Showcasing the UK as a great place to do business

In the summer of 2014, the UK Trade and Investment Government Department and the Welsh Government commissioned Freshwater to organise and manage a high-calibre conference aimed at global C-suite executives, showcasing the UK as a key destination to do business.

We delivered end-to-end event management, marketing and production of a high-impact investment summit aimed at decision makers, business leaders and government officials.

In 2014, Freshwater was appointed to deliver a high-end conference, on behalf of the UK Trade and Investment Government Department (UKTI) and the Welsh Government, showcasing and highlighting new emerging technologies from within the UK to the rest of the world.

The specifications of the event including planning and managing a VIP three-course dinner, conference and product showcase exhibition across two days at the Celtic Manor Resort.

After consulting with the Welsh Government, UKTI and No 10 Downing Street brand teams, we designed a creative identity for the event that was used across all marketing collateral.

As part of our pre-event management, we worked with all three government departments to compile a database of delegates and managed invites through a custom built event portal created by our digital team. As an exclusive event, the guest list had to be carefully curated and managed. We implemented a three-tiered approach to make contact with target delegates involving letters, email and telephone to give us the greatest chance of securing the attendance of often hard to reach individuals.

Freshwater secured and displayed a total of 21 different products as part of the event showcase, including a Scubacraft, a smoke-free motorbike and a solar-powered fridge. We designed a to-scale floorplan of the showcase area with product plinths, to create a gallery style feel. The aim was to create a free-flowing showcase area for delegates to browse the innovative products during intervals and provide an informal setting for delegates to speak with representatives from the showcase companies.

We coordinated and managed a pre-summit dinner at the Celtic Manor Resort, hosting more than 180 delegates for a three-course meal with entertainment. We designed and developed a graphic wall featuring the Wales Millennium Centre, to form a backdrop for singers from the Welsh National Opera. As well as being a reference to the WNO’s base, it was also a chance to showcase Wales’ outstanding architecture.

We utilised a super-wide 15m screen which showcased all the graphics for the conference, and demonstrated the calibre of technological expertise exhibiting at the summit. We also created and produced high-impact, back-lit graphics of other Welsh and UK success stories around the venue to showcase the UK as a great base to do business.

The conference was jointly hosted by then Prime Minister, David Cameron and then First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones AM.

Freshwater’s events team helped attract 182 high-level international delegates to the two-day summit, exceeding the initial target. The summit provided a solid platform for the UK to do business with senior decision makers from companies across the world.

The event was considered a huge success, with Lianne Thomas, from the Major Events Unit at the Welsh Government commenting,

“A big thank you for all the hard work you put in during the lead up to the Investment Summit. The event proved a huge success and we could not have done it without you. Great working with you all – and please thank the rest of the team.  It was a pleasure to work with all of you again.”