Full Transcript for Beyond Sustainability: Rethinking Responsible Events with Matt Grey

00:04:34.000 --> 00:04:41.839 And then my my first job in events was supporting club nights and a great big ball for all the universities in the Southwest. 00:04:42.000 --> 00:04:45.040 Great big, you know, fun fair outdoory, 20,000 people gig. 00:04:45.279 --> 00:04:46.639 20,000 university students. 00:04:46.800 --> 00:04:47.120 Brave. 00:04:47.279 --> 00:04:47.839 Someone said. 00:04:48.079 --> 00:04:48.240 Yeah. 00:04:48.319 --> 00:04:56.639 Oh, it wasn't my company and it wasn't my event, but you know, I was the guy with the radio on the ground running round for all night, uh, as I recall, on that particular one. 00:04:56.800 --> 00:04:59.199 It was a really successful series of events down there. 00:04:59.279 --> 00:05:05.839 I'm not sure if it's still going, but you know, and then up into London where the streets are paved with gold, as we all know. 00:05:06.079 --> 00:05:10.800 And doing an apprenticeship in kind of team building and uh very limited production. 00:05:10.959 --> 00:05:26.480 Uh the bunting years, you could call them, of of outdoor fun, family fun days, and then indoor team building, and then interconferencing, and then into, you know, significant national and regional global conferences, product launches, and you know, proper serious production. 00:05:26.720 --> 00:05:46.399 And seeing all sides of event management, you know, from a boring but important kind of regulatory side, watching the amazing creatives do their things and then the whole thing delivers uh in the face of the general public or private delegates, depending on the gig, on the day. 00:05:46.639 --> 00:05:49.839 And, you know, as everyone knows, no two days are the same. 00:05:50.000 --> 00:05:56.319 No two projects, despite the building blocks being relatively similar, are ever exactly the same. 00:05:56.480 --> 00:06:02.160 I think probably in your past there's you know, Christmas parties and share parties many, many years back. 00:06:02.319 --> 00:06:10.399 And although the venue's the same and potentially the menus the same, and maybe even in the entertainment's the same, no two nights are the same. 00:06:10.720 --> 00:06:17.120 So, you know, it's just uh fell into the sector and uh never quite managed to leave. 00:06:17.360 --> 00:06:30.240 I remember standing with Stephen Lawrence at a wedding we both went to of a very prominent uh person in the motor racing industry who had, we reckon, stuck quarter of a million quids worth of four works up in the air for his daughter's wedding. 00:06:30.319 --> 00:06:39.519 And I remember standing, I remember standing with him literally counting the pennies as as they went up for the for the 35 minutes or 40 minutes of four ways that went. 00:06:39.680 --> 00:06:41.680 But so I I think I don't know it was the answer. 00:06:41.920 --> 00:06:51.360 Yeah, I'd I'd love to see a study of can event people have fun as a guest at other people's events without doing that back of, ooh, I'm not sure I'd do it like that. 00:06:51.439 --> 00:06:52.560 Oh that was great. 00:06:52.639 --> 00:06:54.399 I'm gonna pinch that and take that to my client. 00:06:54.560 --> 00:06:58.959 Sometimes within and sometimes outside of those parameters for all sorts, you know. 00:06:59.040 --> 00:06:59.759 So it's fun. 00:06:59.839 --> 00:07:15.439 But yeah, those 20 years have, if you think of an event as a jigsaw puzzle, and we often talk about this in in our era in event decision, firstly as a jigsaw puzzle, where you know, the broad shape of it's the same, but the makeup of it and the image that you create are different every time. 00:07:15.600 --> 00:07:29.360 Those 20 years have enabled me to understand actually quite how many pieces there can be, how they might fit together, probably how they don't fit together, and how different the images that the jigsaw puzzle creates. 00:07:29.519 --> 00:07:34.800 And and that's vitally important in the area that I'm now working in. 00:07:35.120 --> 00:07:40.480 So for those who haven't come across event decision before, what was the problem you were trying to solve? 00:07:40.639 --> 00:07:46.240 And has that changed initially the the major problem was income for me. 00:07:46.480 --> 00:07:53.920 Uh off the edge of your proverbial cliff, having worked many, many years as an agency and and there just no word, there were no physical events as we know. 00:07:54.000 --> 00:08:02.079 Yes, there's the case for virtual, and and that obviously sat in our place somewhat effectively for a couple of years at best. 00:08:02.560 --> 00:08:09.360 But, you know, if I'm being frank, I've been a sales guy within the event sector for a number of years. 00:08:09.600 --> 00:08:21.279 There's a limited appetite for the same person knocking on your door, client-size, whether that's agency or corporate or brand, saying, hey, like we're the new best thing since sliced bread. 00:08:21.360 --> 00:08:22.560 Why don't you try us out? 00:08:22.800 --> 00:08:30.720 And there is a a natural limited life cycle or number of times one can repeat that, I think, given a relatively similar proposition. 00:08:30.879 --> 00:08:37.200 I know all agencies are special and different, but actually the function they perform is not always that different. 00:08:37.360 --> 00:08:43.519 So there was a need for me to pay the mortgage, but I was quite keen to do something a little bit different. 00:08:43.759 --> 00:08:52.000 And there we've seen sustainability, and I know we'll probably discuss the word or what it means for events um imminently. 00:08:52.159 --> 00:09:04.799 But there've been, and I've written RFPs many over the years that discuss sustainability briefly, but it was I don't think it's ever been addressed by our sector uh as much as it has been in the last four or five years. 00:09:04.960 --> 00:09:08.320 Hopefully, or maybe event decision's part of that discussion now. 00:09:08.480 --> 00:09:15.759 But it seemed a sensible place to start would would be trying to measure

how sustainable events are, and the easy way to go down that route is on carbon footprints. 00:09:16.000 --> 00:09:21.919 So founded, I remember the day I pressed go to buy the domain,£75 it cost initially. 00:09:22.080 --> 00:09:25.279 And I found that a really scary thing to do, bizarrely. 00:09:25.519 --> 00:09:27.440 Probably the cheapest thing I've ever done, yes. 00:09:27.600 --> 00:09:32.639 Uh, you know, to measure carbon footprints of events and deliver that as a service um to agency corporates and brands. 00:09:32.720 --> 00:09:34.000 And, you know, it was a slow start. 00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:36.320 A good few months went by before we got an order. 00:09:36.480 --> 00:09:39.679 Um I've still got the first order invoice on the wall over there. 00:09:39.759 --> 00:09:44.080 And I taught myself down, you know, the price was this, and the client went, yeah, that's great, let's do that. 00:09:44.159 --> 00:09:45.679 And I went, Oh, we'll give it to you for this. 00:09:45.919 --> 00:09:48.559 So keen to get that first one over the line. 00:09:48.720 --> 00:09:50.639 They even came back and went, no, no, we'll pay the full price. 00:09:50.720 --> 00:09:54.480 And I said, No, no, it's fine, but we're not in that space anymore. 00:09:54.720 --> 00:10:04.000 Sustainability has, as a discussion, as a word in use, has grown exponentially, not just within the event sector, but generally over five years. 00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:18.639 And the meaning and the use of that word and the regulatory behind it all has evolved so quickly that whilst one of the products that event decision offers now is still measuring the carbon footprint of events. 00:10:18.879 --> 00:10:27.600 Actually, we've evolved to become a platform where you can understand and improve how responsibly you deliver your product. 00:10:27.840 --> 00:10:37.919 So whether your product is an exhibition stand or a product launch, a Cann Lion, or global this, you know, conference that or global incentive for your sales folk. 00:10:38.240 --> 00:10:43.759 Um doesn't matter what the event is, the constituent parts are all still the same. 00:10:43.919 --> 00:10:52.399 Um, they're just there in different proportions with different levels of influence depending on where you sit in the event ecosystem. 00:10:52.559 --> 00:11:19.200 So within five years, we've gone from, hey, we can give you a carbon footprint to hey, we can tell you how environmentally well you're delivering or less well you're delivering the event, to uh how responsibly cross E and S and G, there's an S energy in the ESG as well, often forgotten about or or glossed over, to aligning your efforts and your project with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to giving you a social value yield as a proportion of your budget. 00:11:19.360 --> 00:11:22.080 Your budget's a million, this much of it is social value. 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:29.600 And and those are products that I hadn't even dreamt of a few years ago, that are now

being consumed uh globally. 00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:30.960 Yeah, I think that's so true. 00:11:31.039 --> 00:11:38.159 I mean, back in 2019, we took on a client who, you know, like any agency, was very keen to have a point of difference. 00:11:38.240 --> 00:11:39.279 And you make a very good point. 00:11:39.679 --> 00:11:44.879 They may represent different clients in different sectors, but agencies to do essentially the same thing. 00:11:45.039 --> 00:11:53.840 And this particular agency had their point of difference to be sustainability as a sort of, you know, and they would they would produce a report and I mean I didn't think they had a clue what it meant. 00:11:53.919 --> 00:11:56.559 And I don't think we really appreciated what it meant. 00:11:56.720 --> 00:12:13.919 I mean, as you said, then it was all about your carbon footprint or planting a couple of trees or whatever it might be, which is a good thing, you know, when one considers, you know, the way that, for instance, climate change is now, you know, you know, being denied still by that idiot mango-faced person across the pond. 00:12:14.159 --> 00:12:16.720 But, you know, we are taking it ever more seriously. 00:12:16.799 --> 00:12:25.440 And it, you know, you have to look on the news last night to see all these wildfires and what's happening around the UK to realise that it is definitely changing. 00:12:25.600 --> 00:12:27.679 We're learning more about it and we're learning the impacts of it. 00:12:27.759 --> 00:12:38.240 And I and I guess from your point of view, your curiosity about you know what does sustainability actually mean has led to where you've got to with event decision now. 00:12:38.480 --> 00:12:41.039 I think there's a really important distinction to be made. 00:12:41.200 --> 00:12:47.039 And I almost subconsciously ended up making this decision before I realized it's it's what we do here. 00:12:47.440 --> 00:12:55.759 Is we don't tell people or advise customers or partners how much they should care or what they should care about. 00:12:55.919 --> 00:13:02.399 All we do is put in front of people platforms or a service to say that product you're delivering. 00:13:02.559 --> 00:13:05.759 And in events, it's obviously the event and there's all different shapes and sizes. 00:13:05.919 --> 00:13:06.480 Is it any good? 00:13:06.559 --> 00:13:07.440 And I don't mean good. 00:13:07.519 --> 00:13:12.480 Is it trying to save the planet or is it trying to develop a hundred percent social value? 00:13:12.639 --> 00:13:14.240 Is it any good? 00:13:14.799 --> 00:13:20.960 How responsibly is perhaps a better way to describe it, how responsibly are you delivering it? 00:13:21.120 --> 00:13:23.919 Are you part of a responsible supply chain? 00:13:24.159 --> 00:13:28.960 And now we're starting to talk in words that larger organizations really enjoy. 00:13:29.120 --> 00:13:35.519 Depending on your politics and your geography, sustainability and DEI and words like that, you may or may not have some success with. 00:13:35.840 --> 00:13:44.000 Responsibility within supply chain, I would challenge any major brand, corporate association or venue to say, oh, uh, we're not fussed about that. 00:13:44.159 --> 00:13:44.559 Move on. 00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:45.440 Thanks very much. 00:13:45.600 --> 00:13:47.039 We're just going to deliver our thing. 00:13:47.279 --> 00:13:49.279 I mean, it might well have been five years ago. 00:13:49.519 --> 00:13:52.879 Well, yeah, I mean, I was actually asked this question in an interview many years ago. 00:13:53.120 --> 00:13:53.840 Sell me this pen. 00:13:53.919 --> 00:14:06.159 You know, if you look at events, there's plenty of people that pedal products that are, you know, by the billion out of somewhere in the Far East that is manufactured under potentially questionable circumstances in terms of its own supply chain. 00:14:06.240 --> 00:14:13.759 And then there's plenty of people who deliver a really good product that is responsibly sourced and well delivered. 00:14:13.919 --> 00:14:24.320 And in that, you're enhancing the brand of the event that you're holding the event for, and you're minimizing and mitigating the risk of being called out effectively. 00:14:24.480 --> 00:14:31.600 There's not much regulatory that you're going to get hit up with in events other than health and safety around some of the hardware that goes onto site. 00:14:31.840 --> 00:14:35.440 So, you know, it's brand enhancing, it's risk mitigating. 00:14:35.600 --> 00:14:41.679 And as you say, agencies will do, and rightly so, anything and need to to differentiate themselves. 00:14:41.840 --> 00:14:48.799 So if you can say we deliver a quality product that squeezes the environmental cost of an event as much as possible. 00:14:49.039 --> 00:14:53.759 And if you want to offset stuff afterwards, great, have that conversation, we'll facilitate it. 00:14:53.840 --> 00:14:55.120 We're not carbon brokers. 00:14:55.279 --> 00:15:13.519 By the way, you should look at the S and G as well, because what you're doing already, agency listeners, corporate listeners, what you're already doing today, the day you're listening to this, and have been doing for the previous years, and will continue to do so, is deliver social value inherent in your event. 00:15:13.600 --> 00:15:15.519 There's people involved, there's a supply chain. 00:15:15.759 --> 00:15:25.200 So now you can start to see where that sits and how powerful that is and how much you're already doing in real numbers. 00:15:25.440 --> 00:15:27.039 And that's going to make you look good. 00:15:27.200 --> 00:15:32.399 And it's therefore gonna make you feel good, as well as the byproduct, it's delivering good. 00:15:32.559 --> 00:15:53.360 So you don't have to make huge strides to alter what the event looks like and how it delivers and how effective it is in terms of its ROI and creativity and engagement and all those words that many people in events are fantastic at delivering, to start

going, oh, it actually delivers some good in the area, in the town and city and community in which we're hosting it. 00:15:53.440 --> 00:15:57.519 And we can see that and we can show our stakeholders how we're doing that. 00:15:57.679 --> 00:16:02.080 But it's got to be operationally light because you're busy folk, so it's got to be easy to access. 00:16:02.320 --> 00:16:07.679 So there's a whole host of stuff that the event sector, I think, has just been, we've all been missing it. 00:16:07.919 --> 00:16:13.919 We're probably, almost definitely, in fact, one of the most profligate industries that there is in terms of waste. 00:16:14.000 --> 00:16:16.720 You know, we produce far too much waste in this world. 00:16:16.879 --> 00:16:19.440 But I guess it's learning to tell this story. 00:16:19.600 --> 00:16:24.399 What you're encouraging events to do is to not say, oh yeah, we're sustainable, you know, it's wonderful. 00:16:24.480 --> 00:16:27.679 You're actually going out to improve them kind of on you. 00:16:27.759 --> 00:16:29.360 You're saying you might be doing a great event. 00:16:29.440 --> 00:16:38.559 Whatever your event is, it might be great, but let's make it better without changing it and proving that it's better to the people who are saying, Oh, you shouldn't be doing that event. 00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:41.440 You shouldn't be having a Christmas party this year, or you shouldn't be doing whatever. 00:16:41.759 --> 00:16:43.200 That's kind of where you're at, isn't it? 00:16:43.440 --> 00:16:44.720 We deliver the same product. 00:16:44.799 --> 00:16:58.320 We've got some new fancy wizardry every year, new stuff from the production teams and the digital teams that can do funky things on site to help engagement, is part of that pathway, not being able to say, oh, we measure everything else. 00:16:58.480 --> 00:17:01.440 Why don't we measure actually the carbon piece? 00:17:01.679 --> 00:17:09.599 And it is on us and others in events to make that as easy as possible for planners, because as I said, no one joins events to measure carbon. 00:17:09.839 --> 00:17:11.359 To look at the positives that we deliver. 00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:13.359 The S and the G is the really important part of it. 00:17:13.599 --> 00:17:16.160 Well, the G most people are quite good at, if I'm honest. 00:17:16.319 --> 00:17:30.240 We all hear about the hot, you know, unfortunate and thankfully rare accidents that happen because health safety, risk assessment, method statement, all the on-site stuff, especially in festival season where it's larger scale, occasionally things happen. 00:17:30.480 --> 00:17:36.480 But from the average agency event, the G, the governance piece, should be events 101. 00:17:36.720 --> 00:17:38.480 There's so many hoops to climb through now. 00:17:38.559 --> 00:17:40.400 I think it's it's difficult for it not to be. 00:17:40.640 --> 00:17:47.119 Yeah, get a cancellation policy, get a risk assessment from your suppliers, you know, all that kind of stuff is all sits in the G. 00:17:47.519 --> 00:17:56.319 The S, and you know, if it's not the only cross that I'm nailed to now, but it seems to be one we're talking about a lot, is the UK vents sector. 00:17:56.480 --> 00:17:59.839 Uh, UK Vents published a piece last November, was it? 00:18:00.160 --> 00:18:01.440 68 billion. 00:18:01.599 --> 00:18:02.319 It's a big number. 00:18:02.400 --> 00:18:03.440 It's a very big number. 00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:04.559 And yet it's not. 00:18:04.720 --> 00:18:10.559 That piece is that the event sector delivers 68 billion pounds worth in revenue to the UK economy, which is great. 00:18:10.720 --> 00:18:13.680 And I guess, you know, if you're selling ice creams at halftime in St. 00:18:13.759 --> 00:18:16.640 James's Park to the football audience, you're part of the event sector. 00:18:16.720 --> 00:18:22.559 You know, if you're part of the International Olympic Committee's organizing stuff, you're part of the event sector and everything in between. 00:18:22.640 --> 00:18:26.799 So you add all that and all the hospitality and the hotels and everything, 68 billion. 00:18:27.039 --> 00:18:29.680 I mean, how many noughts is that? 00:18:29.839 --> 00:18:39.359 And yet, when that was presented to the member of parliament who is head of the all-party parliamentary group, was it APPG, for events? 00:18:39.519 --> 00:18:41.359 That number didn't even raise an eyebrow. 00:18:41.599 --> 00:18:49.200 Put the event sector against aviation, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, agriculture, our numbers are quite small and we're very disparate. 00:18:49.359 --> 00:18:53.440 So that's 68 billion is a very big number for us mere mortals. 00:18:53.599 --> 00:18:55.519 But actually, he challenged us. 00:18:55.680 --> 00:19:01.279 Martin Rhodes, he's the MP for Glasgow North, which uh has the SEC within it, hence his interest. 00:19:01.519 --> 00:19:03.119 He said, Why don't you guys tell stories? 00:19:03.359 --> 00:19:04.400 We remember stories. 00:19:04.640 --> 00:19:13.039 We are the industry that is responsible for telling stories, and yet we are massively inept at telling our own story. 00:19:13.200 --> 00:19:17.839 So that was uh a few weeks back now at the Business of Events Policy Forum. 00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:20.319 But it set the wheels in motion at this end. 00:19:20.400 --> 00:19:34.799 So, you know, we've identified a whole new way to help agencies literally tell their story and have done so in the last couple of weeks on a number of RFPs for agencies to say sustainability is important to this client. 00:19:34.960 --> 00:19:40.160 How can we show them that is it imp it is important to us as an agency? 00:19:40.319 --> 00:19:49.519 But how we will bring that to life, how we will tell the story within our RFP response, to say, we're gonna deliver this thing for you and we want it to look like this. 00:19:49.680 --> 00:19:55.599 And here are some stories about how we're going to behind the scenes probably mitigate

some of the carbon stuff. 00:19:55.759 --> 00:20:06.400 Because as you say, when you're on site at an event, it's often a quite a lot of window dressing, bamboo this and no plastics that, which is important, but doesn't really move the dial. 00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:08.079 It's just it's an optic. 00:20:08.240 --> 00:20:10.720 But also how we're going to engage local supply chain. 00:20:10.799 --> 00:20:13.599 And within that, there are so many stories. 00:20:13.759 --> 00:20:16.799 Yeah, and it makes things infinitely more memorable. 00:20:16.960 --> 00:20:20.559 Uh you know, a real example are the Industry Association Beam. 00:20:20.720 --> 00:20:24.480 I went to uh a forum of theirs at Why Boston Lakes last month. 00:20:24.640 --> 00:20:27.599 So I think it was mid-July 2026. 00:20:27.920 --> 00:20:33.759 And they brought their GM onto stage in front of a couple of hundred great and good from the event sector. 00:20:33.920 --> 00:20:40.720 And you've probably sat there and listened to a thousand, David, a thousand talks from GMs and DOSs at hotels. 00:20:40.799 --> 00:20:43.279 And they go, Oh, we've got this many rooms, and la-da-da-da. 00:20:43.359 --> 00:20:44.160 And it's all very exciting. 00:20:44.240 --> 00:20:45.839 It's a list of their facilities. 00:20:46.000 --> 00:20:48.000 The boss at Y Boston was brilliant. 00:20:48.079 --> 00:20:56.319 He told the story of three or four employees, housekeeping lady, who's been there for many, many years, and how she really enjoys looking after the guests. 00:20:56.400 --> 00:21:09.759 And her husband, who's the head groundsman, and just this we wove this amazing story about how Y Boston Lakes engages with the community and keeps it alive, you know, through employment and looking after their valued guests. 00:21:09.839 --> 00:21:17.839 And it was such a wonderful talk and so much more impactful than we've got 347 bedrooms and every single event. 00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:21.920 I challenge the planners out there, every single event has a story like that. 00:21:22.079 --> 00:21:24.880 The question is, how do you identify it and how do you tell it? 00:21:25.039 --> 00:21:29.920 It's a very different look on sustainability because you can only tell a story if it's a good one. 00:21:30.079 --> 00:21:32.240 So actually, yes, we do the carbon piece. 00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:35.359 And we were asked in the early days, will this become part of housekeeping? 00:21:35.519 --> 00:21:38.720 And we said, oh yes, of course it will, you know, eyeing up the volume. 00:21:38.880 --> 00:21:40.000 And it sort of has. 00:21:40.240 --> 00:21:47.599 But at the same time, technology has enabled, you know, the price of it to be shrunk immensely and the time spent doing it to be shrunk immensely. 00:21:47.839 --> 00:21:56.160 But when you look at the wider piece, you know, we've said the word sustainability more than responsibility, but I far prefer the word responsibility. 00:21:56.480 --> 00:21:57.599 How responsible is your

event? 00:21:57.680 --> 00:21:59.839 And we can tell you that, and we can give you some numbers to back it up. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:02.160 And a story that illustrates it. 00:22:02.400 --> 00:22:04.720 And then we're getting into much more impactful stuff. 00:22:04.880 --> 00:22:28.880 And if the event sector told a few more stories at national level, rather than just headline 68 billion, perhaps we would break through, if we need to, into discussions at government level rather than, and I suspect it probably has to happen in the background, talking about sit codes and all that exciting stuff, which generate the numbers, but don't tell the story. 00:22:29.119 --> 00:22:31.200 And you know, as you say, we're good at telling stories. 00:22:31.359 --> 00:22:33.279 We're probably the best at telling stories. 00:22:33.440 --> 00:22:38.400 I mean, one of the other examples that we talked about before was the recycling of food. 00:22:38.559 --> 00:22:43.119 And there's so much surplus food, you know, from events up and down the country every single year. 00:22:43.359 --> 00:22:48.640 Why do you think that's such an obvious opportunity for our industry to make a genuine difference is the recycling of food? 00:22:48.960 --> 00:22:52.880 At the most basic level, it's in front of every single person that goes to an event. 00:22:53.039 --> 00:22:56.559 You know, it's kind of one of the events 101 building blocks, isn't it? 00:22:56.640 --> 00:23:05.759 You know, sit them down, feed them, drink them, if needs be, give them somewhere to sleep, give them a message, tell them what to sell, or get them to buy stuff, and then send them home. 00:23:05.839 --> 00:23:07.119 Or get them to enjoy the concert. 00:23:07.279 --> 00:23:10.079 Either way, almost everyone is eating and drinking. 00:23:10.240 --> 00:23:13.200 As I said, 20, nearly 30 years now doing events. 00:23:13.279 --> 00:23:20.799 I dread to think how many meals I've seen come into the room and go out of the room, partly eaten, and how much food has been sat out at the back that no one sees. 00:23:20.960 --> 00:23:22.960 And it's become a thing, has it not? 00:23:23.119 --> 00:23:24.720 Uh, you know, food rescue. 00:23:25.039 --> 00:23:29.440 So we tried with a partner called Olio. 00:23:30.079 --> 00:23:34.880 If you know your kind of local community apps, Olio is basically a share a platform. 00:23:35.039 --> 00:23:46.480 If you've got something at home that you no longer need, you can stick it on Oleo and somebody local will come and pick it up and either use it themselves or redistribute it within the community. 00:23:46.720 --> 00:23:54.960 We tried doing this in 2022, 23 with Olio for events, but we weren't quite ready, neither party, probably nor the audience. 00:23:55.119 --> 00:24:00.400 But actually, as you've brought that up, since we last spoke, David, delighted to say we have got a partnership with Olio. 00:24:00.720 --> 00:24:03.359 It's in beta right now, I think is the term. 00:24:03.519 --> 00:24:09.359 We're trialing it late August or fall 2026 in the UK around events. 00:24:09.519 --> 00:24:11.119 And it's ready, it seems to work. 00:24:11.279 --> 00:24:18.319 It's going to be a self-service app that event planners can just hop on and go, hey, I've got an event here on this date at this time for this number of people. 00:24:18.559 --> 00:24:25.839 Please can uh volunteer, come and collect leftover food and redistribute it within the community. 00:24:26.079 --> 00:24:28.319 Is that a difficult calculation to make? 00:24:28.400 --> 00:24:35.440 So I've got a 250-person Christmas dinner in Putney, for instance, or a bad example, in Milton Keynes, let's say. 00:24:35.759 --> 00:24:40.400 Do they make an educated guess at what amount of food might be left over? 00:24:40.640 --> 00:24:41.519 Potentially, yes. 00:24:41.759 --> 00:24:42.640 Got to start somewhere. 00:24:42.720 --> 00:24:47.200 I guess the caterer is making a fairly educated guess on how much to actually order. 00:24:47.279 --> 00:24:49.200 And God forbid one runs out of food. 00:24:49.279 --> 00:24:52.400 So they generally err on the, you know, let's buy a little bit more. 00:24:52.559 --> 00:24:55.920 And it's that little bit more that we're trying to rescue. 00:24:56.160 --> 00:25:15.519 Because a lot of the food rescue organization, you know, City Harvest, Harvest UK, et cetera, et cetera, to some Olio as well, who have rescued millions and millions of meals, of course, went for the slightly easier options out the back of Tesco's, out the back of Costa, out the back of Starbucks, because it's regular and it can be built into, you know, something that works. 00:25:15.680 --> 00:25:18.480 Uh, obviously, the issues with events, it's not regular. 00:25:18.640 --> 00:25:25.039 It's irregular in irregular places, often, for an irregular number of people with a menu that's different. 00:25:25.279 --> 00:25:28.000 And that's what we all struggled with a few years ago. 00:25:28.160 --> 00:25:32.000 But we think we've managed to, you know, get over the hill on that one. 00:25:32.160 --> 00:25:36.799 You know, there is a nationwide network of people trained in food safety. 00:25:37.119 --> 00:25:43.359 We know that the challenge is going to be venues and hotels going, oh no, we can't let our food go off site. 00:25:43.440 --> 00:25:44.559 It might kill people. 00:25:44.799 --> 00:25:51.279 You know, there are provisions in place and in and believe it or not, an actual insurance policy to indemnify the venue. 00:25:51.440 --> 00:25:56.960 So, you know, the people that turn up aren't just, you know, Joanne blogs or Joe blogs from down the road. 00:25:57.039 --> 00:26:02.799 They have had some food safety training and will reject food that may potentially be an issue. 00:26:02.960 --> 00:26:08.640 And actually, Olio so far, despite the millions and millions of meals that have been rescued, have had zero incidents. 00:26:08.960 --> 00:26:24.079 So we're part of the

group that is, and I'm sure the event sector will see communication through other channels, uh, relaunching this in the next few months to event planners in a really lovely, easy, simple to use way. 00:26:24.400 --> 00:26:25.680 Does it cost some money? 00:26:25.839 --> 00:26:26.960 Yeah, it does. 00:26:27.119 --> 00:26:28.799 You know, no one does anything for free. 00:26:28.880 --> 00:26:33.039 We've all got mortgages to pay, same as everyone else, but not very much. 00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:48.720 And if we're going to go back to the, well, I'm going to drag us back to the teller story, those who we're trialing it with at the moment are absolutely delighted on the stories it allows them to tell on site and post-event in terms of brand value. 00:26:49.039 --> 00:26:58.880 And I'm not talking literally, you know, pounds on the uh stock exchange, but the values that the event brand holds dear, so they keep saying, in action. 00:26:59.039 --> 00:27:09.759 And at the end of the day, secondary effects as well, of people attending the event, and hopefully it'll be announced at the event, or they will find out that you know unused food has been rescued and redistributed. 00:27:09.839 --> 00:27:13.440 And there's a great feel good factor uh around all that stuff. 00:27:13.680 --> 00:27:16.000 And that's going to be on some sort of app, would it, I presume? 00:27:16.240 --> 00:27:16.960 Literally that. 00:27:17.200 --> 00:27:20.480 So technology is becoming increasingly important in the business. 00:27:20.640 --> 00:27:24.400 Has AI changed the the way event decision works behind the scenes? 00:27:24.720 --> 00:27:25.519 Absolutely, yeah. 00:27:25.599 --> 00:27:29.279 Yeah, I mean, in two main ways, it's allowed us to speed the service that we provide. 00:27:29.440 --> 00:27:32.319 So carbon footprinting is often about document analysis. 00:27:32.480 --> 00:27:38.559 If anyone's read anything about, you know, the Claudie type uh environment, they're quite good at that stuff. 00:27:38.799 --> 00:27:41.519 Analysis of documents and converting them into numbers. 00:27:41.680 --> 00:28:02.000 But also, you know, if you wanted to undertake an impact review via the event decision platform, which is the ENS and G piece, and as you're going through, saying we're doing this and we're not doing that, and we do a bit of this and a bit of that, on that specific event, it's not about your whole agency or corporate offerings, just about the event that you're delivering. 00:28:02.160 --> 00:28:18.480 You're getting real-time intelligence from the data that already sits behind our app site, saying, you know, 79% of people who are doing an activation in Europe already do this, or 21% of people who are doing a conference in the States do this. 00:28:18.720 --> 00:28:28.160 So you're getting real live intelligence on your peer set or competitor set, depending on how you see them, on their behavior as you're going through. 00:28:28.319 --> 00:28:33.359 And that's something neither of which we could have offered five years ago, certainly not at the pace we do it. 00:28:33.519 --> 00:28:38.079 So yeah, AI and dread to think where it's going to end up. 00:28:38.400 --> 00:28:46.480 Well, yeah, fun of fact, I was I read a fascinating article in yesterday's times by Julia Samuel, who's a very, very accomplished journalist. 00:28:46.559 --> 00:28:51.680 And she was saying, you know, we shouldn't be worried about AI taking young people's jobs. 00:28:52.000 --> 00:29:00.640 We should be more concerned that the people who don't or won't engage with AI are having their jobs taken by people who understand how it works. 00:29:00.799 --> 00:29:01.920 And I think that's very true. 00:29:02.000 --> 00:29:11.759 You know, if you look at what's happened in the States who are a little bit ahead of us, unemployment rates in the States are still 4%, which they were in 2022 when ChatGPT came online. 00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:23.920 So I think actually, you know, one of the things that I'm craving to do is to learn more and more about this stuff and to find out which is the best platform to use and you know which one is going to survive the inevitable land grab that's going to happen. 00:29:24.079 --> 00:29:26.400 So I think it's a fascinating part of the world. 00:29:26.720 --> 00:29:31.599 Yeah, I mean, you talked at the beginning, David, about, you know, far too long, 20 years I spent doing this. 00:29:31.759 --> 00:29:39.839 I still remember sending faxes off to hotels and delegate registrations coming in via fax and all that stuff. 00:29:40.079 --> 00:29:54.480 And then fast forward a few years from there, uh, and I remember the MD at an agency in Windsor where I was working would go online, uh print off all the emails that the company had received and pass them around on bits of paper to the intended recipient. 00:29:54.640 --> 00:29:56.319 Life's not like that, is it? 00:29:56.559 --> 00:30:06.640 And there has been some talk in uh all over the sector about events being the last bastion or the resort of the ultimate truth. 00:30:06.880 --> 00:30:12.960 You know, we've all seen examples of where uh AI's created eight fingers on people that, you know, digital imagery. 00:30:13.039 --> 00:30:15.039 And I'm sure it's very good at creating digital marketing. 00:30:15.119 --> 00:30:16.319 I'm sure it's creating lots of rip. 00:30:16.720 --> 00:30:18.000 Even makes me look good occasionally. 00:30:18.240 --> 00:30:18.720 There we go. 00:30:18.799 --> 00:30:20.160 You see, it's amazing, isn't it? 00:30:20.319 --> 00:30:23.759 At the end of the day, a live event takes feet on the ground. 00:30:23.839 --> 00:30:27.039 So it's always going to involve humans at some point. 00:30:27.279 --> 00:30:37.839 And I don't see through that evolution of facts to printing out emails to, you know, having the whole lot on your phone, including your clauds and chats, fewer people being involved in delivering events. 00:30:38.000 --> 00:30:45.920 If anything,

it's elevated the sector to say, okay, we can do some of the background stuff pretty efficiently now. 00:30:46.079 --> 00:30:48.319 We can concentrate more on the creative. 00:30:48.559 --> 00:30:55.200 You said a very uh true statement which I wrote down when we first spoke was events are the best way to deliver authenticity in an AI world. 00:30:55.359 --> 00:30:56.720 I think it goes further than that. 00:30:56.799 --> 00:31:01.440 I think events, as you say, events are the best way to free up creative time. 00:31:02.000 --> 00:31:08.160 Because I find hours and hours of my days uh and weeks being saved by using AI. 00:31:08.240 --> 00:31:10.480 And I'm scratching the surface of this stuff. 00:31:10.559 --> 00:31:13.119 You know, there's someone like you is far more capable than I am. 00:31:13.359 --> 00:31:14.400 Well, you're very kind. 00:31:14.559 --> 00:31:17.039 I I know maybe the team, but I don't know. 00:31:17.119 --> 00:31:25.200 I mean, how else do you explain the late 2025 sort of influx of private equity and venture capital money into events? 00:31:25.440 --> 00:31:35.839 You know, and uh agency consolidation and acquisition and some fairly big moves from the big players that are often Blackstone or other big private equity backed last year. 00:31:36.000 --> 00:31:45.039 You know, somebody at pretty big budget numbers is seeing a very healthy future and therefore, because they work in numbers, return on events. 00:31:45.200 --> 00:32:00.880 We're doing something right as a sector, you know, whether it's as the last bastion of authenticity or a useful alternative to digital, which has its place, or the fact that, you know, we we tried digital only, didn't we, in COVID for everything? 00:32:01.039 --> 00:32:14.319 It worked-ish, but it didn't deliver that moment, the emotion that, you know, without going back into COVID, there's oh, we're humans and we need to be together part, that digital can't replicate. 00:32:14.480 --> 00:32:22.000 So somebody is seeing this huge advantage to live events, whether it's a sales conference or a festival or anything in between. 00:32:22.160 --> 00:32:32.160 And now the technology, and there's a few of us now working in sustainable and responsible event delivery, to go, right, well, all right, you know, we've done them pretty well for 30, 40, 50 years. 00:32:32.319 --> 00:32:33.519 Some say 100 years. 00:32:33.599 --> 00:32:39.119 I think IBM's first sales incentive, uh, 100% club, was now over a hundred years ago. 00:32:39.359 --> 00:32:52.079 So, you know, we're pretty resilient, we're pretty sustainable in that term, we're pretty adaptable and dynamic, and we've been through volcanoes and COVIDs and this and that and and all sorts of economic troubles, and we're still here. 00:32:52.240 --> 00:32:53.119 Are we perfect? 00:32:53.359 --> 00:32:53.680 No. 00:32:54.079 --> 00:32:55.440 Can we improve? 00:32:55.759 --> 00:32:57.039 To your question earlier. 00:32:57.279 --> 00:32:58.960 Every sector is

busy improving. 00:32:59.119 --> 00:32:59.759 Why are we not? 00:32:59.920 --> 00:33:02.000 And now we can put numbers against it. 00:33:02.079 --> 00:33:04.079 And you can do it for whatever reason you want. 00:33:04.240 --> 00:33:05.039 Do you want to look good? 00:33:05.119 --> 00:33:06.799 Do you want to have some good numbers against your event? 00:33:06.960 --> 00:33:07.359 That's great. 00:33:07.440 --> 00:33:08.559 Do you want to save the planet? 00:33:08.720 --> 00:33:09.680 That's great too. 00:33:09.920 --> 00:33:12.000 Doesn't matter as long as you're doing it. 00:33:12.160 --> 00:33:15.119 So, you know, it's been a fascinating journey. 00:33:15.359 --> 00:33:21.279 I'm really looking forward to where the next 10, 15 years brings us all to Hams of Event. 00:33:21.519 --> 00:33:21.839 Yeah. 00:33:22.079 --> 00:33:23.039 Was there a point? 00:33:23.200 --> 00:33:24.720 I mean, obviously, it's interesting. 00:33:25.200 --> 00:33:27.920 As you said, you're not about saving the planet at all costs. 00:33:28.000 --> 00:33:31.920 And, you know, you're being quite rightly outspoken about what you think. 00:33:32.000 --> 00:33:38.559 You wrote an article recently called The Client Never Ask, which is why you should, which is, you know, sounds counterintuitive, but isn't. 00:33:38.720 --> 00:33:44.079 And I think the the point you were making is that, you know, agencies need to adopt this before their clients are asking it. 00:33:44.240 --> 00:33:50.160 Was there a moment when you when you thought to yourself, hold on a second, this is actually beginning to gain a bit of traction here. 00:33:50.319 --> 00:33:52.720 I might actually have a really good idea. 00:33:52.960 --> 00:33:56.000 I think not one single moment, but a collection of smaller ones. 00:33:56.240 --> 00:34:03.599 Event decision was approached a couple of years ago by a very big player to say, well, they were American, uh, can we look under the hood with a view to further discussions? 00:34:03.839 --> 00:34:09.519 And one thing that stuck with me, and Dustin, you know who you are, he said, You've got the beginnings of an industry benchmark here. 00:34:09.760 --> 00:34:27.039 You've got something that can take a really wide variety of complex factors and simplify them in, if not a number, a a really simple image, a graphic, and compare the performance of events across E and S and G and give some really useful numbers. 00:34:27.199 --> 00:34:30.960 And that has stuck, and that's within the impact review event decision. 00:34:31.119 --> 00:34:39.519 And that's, I find tremendously exciting because I think, you know, as per our conversations in the last 40 minutes, we're so disparate, diverse. 00:34:39.679 --> 00:34:54.800 And that's one of the strengths of the events industry, I think, that to be able to distill commonalities and some really positive stories from an event, no matter what it looks like, is a huge opportunity for our whole sector. 00:34:54.960 --> 00:35:02.079 You know, it's been an absolute delight in the event decision team coming up with that and delivering it on a daily basis. 00:35:02.239 --> 00:35:18.320 And when, you know, some very well-known creative global agencies come back and say, this is a point of difference for us, or we've used that to win this 300 event series for a major tech firm because they said it was important and we said we could quantify it. 00:35:18.480 --> 00:35:21.039 You know, those sorts of things, and you think, oh, brilliant. 00:35:21.199 --> 00:35:23.519 You know, and we're going to show you a way to do it even better. 00:35:23.679 --> 00:35:24.639 And your clients. 00:35:24.800 --> 00:35:28.159 You know, if you're an agency out there, it doesn't matter about your motivation. 00:35:28.239 --> 00:35:31.119 You know, if you're doing a good job, we'll we'll help you do more of it. 00:35:31.280 --> 00:35:40.000 Because the very happy byproduct of that is that a better performing environmentally sustainable events, better performing socially valuable events. 00:35:40.239 --> 00:35:44.239 And if you're an agency, I said the word just now, value. 00:35:44.400 --> 00:35:46.559 Most corporates use agencies somewhere. 00:35:46.639 --> 00:35:47.599 And we all know why. 00:35:47.760 --> 00:35:49.360 Because they deliver a valuable service. 00:35:49.519 --> 00:35:53.840 Well, a valuable service isn't delivering a cup of coffee if a cup of coffee has been ordered. 00:35:54.079 --> 00:36:03.679 A valuable service is delivering a cup of coffee with a biscuit in a nice way, with local coffee that's flavorsome and there's something pretty on the top, and then upselling the meal if you're an agency as well. 00:36:03.840 --> 00:36:05.119 That's where the value lies. 00:36:05.280 --> 00:36:16.719 So if your client's not asking for it, fine, don't deliver it, but another agency will come with the bits that your client's not yet asked for and say, we'll give you these, or we're going to deliver this and it costs that. 00:36:16.960 --> 00:36:19.360 Surely that's the whole point of agency. 00:36:19.599 --> 00:36:31.440 Be the experts in your field and tell your clients how you can deliver that event for them within their brand values in a responsible, sustainable, and well-governed way. 00:36:31.679 --> 00:36:32.960 Do you think you've changed? 00:36:33.119 --> 00:36:37.679 I mean, inevitably the answer is going to be yes here, but do you think you've changed, A, possibly as a person? 00:36:37.760 --> 00:36:40.000 I mean, you know, we're both of a certain age, you know. 00:36:40.320 --> 00:36:44.159 I suppose some would say middle age is is coming to an end, which is tragic thought. 00:36:44.239 --> 00:36:47.440 But anyway, uh I'm saying we can extend that to 70 years old now. 00:36:47.599 --> 00:36:56.960 But do you think you've changed as a person as you I suppose you know, age doesn't necessarily equal wisdom, but in your case, it certainly has meant knowledge. 00:36:57.119 --> 00:37:02.800 If

the answer is yes, what are the changes you think you've made from a personal standpoint in the last couple of years, let's say? 00:37:03.119 --> 00:37:07.679 The majority of that 20, 30 years in events I've spent in business development, account director, and sales. 00:37:07.840 --> 00:37:11.280 And in that world, for me, it felt it was me against the world, it was us against the world. 00:37:11.360 --> 00:37:13.440 Use us, we're the best, pick me, pick me. 00:37:13.599 --> 00:37:19.519 And in a way, you've got friends in other agencies, and it's all a bit of friendly competition, but ultimately you won you won that revenue. 00:37:19.760 --> 00:37:37.360 What's been an absolute delight is just seeing that community, the force and the energy and the enthusiasm and the success with which we all in agency or client team direct, as a lot of that stuff is done by in-house client teams as well, with which we all deliver events. 00:37:37.519 --> 00:37:48.559 And you and I both know agency owners are often good friends because there are specific forums for them to hang out and exchange information or ideas rather than information, I should say. 00:37:48.800 --> 00:38:02.079 So moving from me against the world into wow, there's so much creativity and energy and enthusiasm within the event sector has been an absolute, genuinely a wonderful delight. 00:38:02.239 --> 00:38:04.000 Um, it shouldn't have been, but it was. 00:38:04.079 --> 00:38:08.960 There's clients, there's great agency partners of event decision who I'd never heard of after 20 years of an event. 00:38:09.199 --> 00:38:10.320 And there's new ones all the time. 00:38:10.400 --> 00:38:13.679 Every time there's a merger, there's fallouts, and they go and create their own brilliant things. 00:38:13.840 --> 00:38:17.440 So we'll see what happens after the 2025 merger and acquisition spree. 00:38:17.679 --> 00:38:28.320 But yes, I've had to go and do some postgrad work associated with Cambridge, which is to get a badge to give me the confidence to be able to talk the way I talk when I'm talking with partners. 00:38:28.480 --> 00:38:33.599 I'm uh recently recognized as an international fellow within the CEF. 00:38:33.679 --> 00:38:36.960 And bizarrely, that was really here's my trumpet moment. 00:38:37.039 --> 00:38:38.719 You know, I'm really chuffed with that. 00:38:38.800 --> 00:38:42.639 To be there's different levels of fellowship from, you know, local and that. 00:38:42.880 --> 00:38:44.159 Did you get letters after your name? 00:38:44.400 --> 00:38:44.880 I don't know. 00:38:44.960 --> 00:38:51.039 I don't really like filling up the footer, but the LinkedIn profile, if anyone wants to look, is getting like an alphabet soup. 00:38:51.199 --> 00:39:03.199 But it, you know, it's mostly certainly the CISL, the Cambridge piece, was around having the confidence to be able to talk to other people in the event sector or even outside the event sector. 00:39:03.360 --> 00:39:14.719 If you're talking to the lead sustainability person at somewhere like Deloitte, I didn't feel I could sit on a level playing field just being Matt from events or Matt who started event decision. 00:39:14.800 --> 00:39:21.199 And I thought I wanted some external verification that I had a vague clue of what I was talking about. 00:39:21.360 --> 00:39:23.519 And then some of the other stuff has fallen out. 00:39:23.679 --> 00:39:25.519 So, you know, I'm delighted with that stuff. 00:39:25.599 --> 00:39:27.039 But actually, I can't remember. 00:39:27.199 --> 00:39:44.239 We talked a month or so ago, and I can't remember if I said that I've said before, you know, on my headstone after I'm long gone, if it says here lies Matt Gray, who managed to affect a 0.001% change in some of the events on the planet, I'd be more than happy. 00:39:44.320 --> 00:39:49.199 You know, it's a massive sector, and yet it's a small sector, small village, as you said. 00:39:49.519 --> 00:39:59.360 And to be able to sit kind of at the leading edge of our part of it, a niche in the niche, if I'm talking to non-event folk, what do you do? 00:39:59.519 --> 00:40:00.400 How do I describe this? 00:40:00.719 --> 00:40:02.719 Niche of a niche is it's an honor. 00:40:03.039 --> 00:40:10.079 It's a privilege to have so many agencies in particular, but also venues and destinations as well are coming on board. 00:40:10.159 --> 00:40:14.239 How good is that product that our town and city offers compared to others? 00:40:14.480 --> 00:40:17.920 It's uh really great fun, massively challenging. 00:40:18.159 --> 00:40:31.440 So looking 10 years down the road, and let's say it's 1% change, what does that 1% look like for you to say we've genuinely changed the way the events industry measures their success? 00:40:31.760 --> 00:40:39.039 I think the the event sector probably brings some of this stuff into earlier discussions around when you're forming an event, people are still going to travel. 00:40:39.199 --> 00:40:45.280 Again, we're kind of dependent on the airlines and and other associated fuel suppliers to work on the carbon piece of that. 00:40:45.440 --> 00:40:57.679 So what it looks like is events that are still delivered in person, really effectively, creatively, and engagingly, but with a mindful of the carbon impact of that activity. 00:40:57.840 --> 00:41:01.679 And whether it's offset or not, of course, ideally it is, but many don't. 00:41:01.840 --> 00:41:02.880 So there's that part. 00:41:03.039 --> 00:41:13.199 But actually, a thriving event sector that is more than mindful is absolutely aware of the value that they bring to the people who build and deliver that event. 00:41:13.360 --> 00:41:15.679 That's the social value yield of an event. 00:41:15.920 --> 00:41:36.719 And how you can actually focus that and try and keep it local, whether that means hyper-local around a particular venue or within a city or in a region or for the bigger ones within country, to make the most of the flavor of

that country by allowing that community to deliver that event and being able to quantify and maximize that effect. 00:41:36.960 --> 00:41:47.519 So often the carbon is seen as a negative, a constricting factor, the social value yield of an event, hugely positive, massively feel-good. 00:41:47.679 --> 00:41:53.280 And surely that's what events are absolutely tailor-made to do. 00:41:53.679 --> 00:41:57.840 Not every event can rebuild the East End of London like London 2012. 00:41:58.079 --> 00:42:06.000 Not every event can bring all the money that, say, Commonwealth Games or God forbid a giant soccer tournament might bring to some local areas. 00:42:06.239 --> 00:42:21.440 But if you're delivering a conference or an activation or a product launch or a an association meeting in a convention center somewhere, you can absolutely start to tell some really positive stories around responsible supply. 00:42:21.599 --> 00:42:26.800 And I'd love for event decision to be, you know, associated with that type of activity. 00:42:27.119 --> 00:42:29.760 Well, I think you're certainly at the forefront of this. 00:42:29.840 --> 00:42:36.000 And, you know, the notoriety is growing, and you know, there's no question that Advent Decision are beginning to make waves. 00:42:36.159 --> 00:42:57.760 I can't see a reason why it won't continue that way, because you're, as you're right in saying, everything in our life is taking us towards that sort of moment where we have to be more responsible, to use your terminology, just about A, looking after our planet, but on a more micro level, looking after our local communities or the local communities we're doing events in. 00:42:57.920 --> 00:43:02.239 So I think what you're doing is incredible and you know, wish you more success than going forward. 00:43:02.400 --> 00:43:08.079 But anyway, before we finish, I thought we'd just do our rapid far round just to raise the tempo a bit. 00:43:08.239 --> 00:43:13.519 So I was asked this dead or alive, most influential person in your career or just life? 00:43:13.760 --> 00:43:16.159 Yeah, I've been looking forward to these questions, I think. 00:43:16.320 --> 00:43:20.159 Um, clearly my wife, thank you, Claire, for sticking with me for the last five years. 00:43:20.400 --> 00:43:22.000 Bizarrely, I'm gonna go back a few years. 00:43:22.079 --> 00:43:23.440 I'm gonna go for Bob Geldoff. 00:43:23.599 --> 00:43:26.480 He wrote a book called Is This It many, many decades ago. 00:43:26.559 --> 00:43:31.679 And it it goes through his life at uh Boomtown Rats and all this stuff, but then into Band-Aid and LiveAid. 00:43:31.840 --> 00:43:40.320 And I actually, bizarrely, often think about it because live aid, obviously, you know, most people alive in the Western Hemisphere know about it. 00:43:40.559 --> 00:43:47.519 But it goes into some incredible detail about how they managed to hang it together in a very short period of time. 00:43:47.840 --> 00:43:48.559 It was amazing. 00:43:48.719 -->

00:43:50.800 I mean, I'm I watched that that documentary. 00:43:50.880 --> 00:43:52.000 It was incredible. 00:43:52.079 --> 00:43:57.760 And it would talk about A on a shoestring budget and B literally calling in favors from mates. 00:43:57.840 --> 00:43:59.039 I mean, it was amazing, wasn't it? 00:43:59.199 --> 00:44:05.280 You know, when you're you're As well known as perhaps, or the issue is as eminent an emergency as that one, you can probably do that. 00:44:05.360 --> 00:44:13.840 But just the balls of Bob Geldoff to go out and you know, just not just sit on the edge, but literally just both feet jump off and go, We're doing this. 00:44:14.000 --> 00:44:14.800 We're gonna do it. 00:44:14.880 --> 00:44:20.480 Um and you see that to some extent within you know a number of global events nowadays, but it takes a real force. 00:44:20.639 --> 00:44:22.159 And the book is it's really enjoyable. 00:44:22.239 --> 00:44:23.519 I've read it two or three times now. 00:44:23.679 --> 00:44:30.239 And actually, I would advise you if you haven't watched it, to watch The Greatest Nights in Pop as well, which is about how the Americans produce their single. 00:44:30.800 --> 00:44:33.119 Very different over there to over here if you read the book. 00:44:33.519 --> 00:44:35.199 Very different, very different over there. 00:44:35.280 --> 00:44:37.679 But I mean, talk about who's who of the music world. 00:44:37.840 --> 00:44:41.920 Um, so I'm guessing is this it is the best business book you've read or or the best book you've read? 00:44:42.239 --> 00:44:49.280 No, that's how to measure anything by Douglas Hubbard, which is uh a wonderful delve into A-level stats, if that's your thing. 00:44:49.519 --> 00:44:52.239 So when you get home of an evening, what do you dive into? 00:44:52.400 --> 00:44:55.760 I think the go-to is the ginger beer and some cricket on tally. 00:44:56.159 --> 00:44:58.239 So the small mountain you would die on. 00:44:58.400 --> 00:45:00.800 Things, little little things that drive you absolutely insane. 00:45:01.039 --> 00:45:01.519 Be on time. 00:45:01.760 --> 00:45:06.800 My boss once said if you're late for a meeting, you're basically telling them that your time is more important than theirs. 00:45:06.880 --> 00:45:08.000 So be early. 00:45:08.159 --> 00:45:08.880 Be really early. 00:45:08.960 --> 00:45:11.280 Go for a cup of coffee, chill out, and prepare yourself. 00:45:11.440 --> 00:45:12.000 Be early. 00:45:12.159 --> 00:45:14.639 Ten minutes or you know, all the sports teams do it. 00:45:14.800 --> 00:45:15.519 Trainings at nine. 00:45:15.599 --> 00:45:18.639 If you're not ready with your boots on on the pitch at ten to nine, you're late. 00:45:18.719 --> 00:45:23.199 You know, of course trains are cancelled, and of course children are ill, and you know, you understand the real stuff. 00:45:23.280 --> 00:45:30.559 But people that drift in, I go I uh get nuts when you're seven minutes hanging on a Teams call or somebody's sort of half an hour late drifting. 00:45:30.639 --> 00:45:32.000 So yeah, that's my little thing. 00:45:32.320 --> 00:45:34.480 A passion outside of the industry. 00:45:34.719 --> 00:45:35.760 Very slow jogging. 00:45:35.920 --> 00:45:37.199 That can't be a passion though. 00:45:37.440 --> 00:45:38.000 It's become one. 00:45:38.239 --> 00:45:38.559 Is it? 00:45:38.639 --> 00:45:50.480 Yeah, I mean, in true LinkedIn style, you here's what I learned about B2B sales, but my brain needs a small amount of respite from doing calls and meetings and sales and and ops stuff. 00:45:50.559 --> 00:45:56.079 And the way I have discovered it since starting this company is very slow jogging. 00:45:56.320 --> 00:46:02.320 Gives you thinking space, which is always a very needed um your hidden talent if you have one, when everyone has a hidden talent. 00:46:02.559 --> 00:46:07.920 Uh I once rescued Ursula Andras from uh a raucous party. 00:46:08.079 --> 00:46:08.719 I'll just leave it there. 00:46:09.039 --> 00:46:09.280 Wow. 00:46:09.360 --> 00:46:12.559 So sort of quasi security guard is your hidden talent. 00:46:12.800 --> 00:46:16.480 Well, I managed to get her out of the room in a good way from a rather raucous party. 00:46:16.719 --> 00:46:18.880 The Kevin Costner of the Events World. 00:46:18.960 --> 00:46:19.440 There you are. 00:46:19.760 --> 00:46:20.480 There's my quote. 00:46:20.559 --> 00:46:21.280 Thank you very much. 00:46:21.440 --> 00:46:24.480 I actually had written down here, because I knew that question was coming. 00:46:24.639 --> 00:46:25.920 Very slow jogging. 00:46:26.000 --> 00:46:30.000 Um it turns out I'm okay at that, but you'd need the very slow in front as well. 00:46:30.239 --> 00:46:30.800 Very good. 00:46:31.119 --> 00:46:31.840 Dogs or cats. 00:46:32.000 --> 00:46:33.440 I'm gonna say dogs because we've already heard. 00:46:33.599 --> 00:46:33.920 Dogs. 00:46:34.159 --> 00:46:35.039 Favourite movie. 00:46:35.199 --> 00:46:36.000 Oh gosh. 00:46:36.159 --> 00:46:37.360 Uh I don't know. 00:46:37.519 --> 00:46:38.800 What have I watched a lot of? 00:46:38.960 --> 00:46:44.239 I mean, the I can give you the last movie, which was the chocolate one that I watched with one of my children, Wonka. 00:46:44.480 --> 00:46:45.119 That was quite fun. 00:46:45.440 --> 00:46:48.800 The three people, dead or alive, that you would have to donate and why. 00:46:49.039 --> 00:46:56.320 So I'm gonna pick is a little bit of podcasty type people, but um John Simpson, because I mean he's really met the good, the bad, and the ugly. 00:46:56.480 --> 00:46:59.440 He really has shaken hands with all sorts over the years. 00:46:59.599 --> 00:47:05.679 So for his kind of viewpoint on the world, big scale, uh him, uh, Amol Rajan. 00:47:06.000 --> 00:47:16.320 Because he has until very recently hosted a podcast called Radical, which is people in all different spheres coming out with their ideas about what they should do with their sector. 00:47:16.639 --> 00:47:21.039

I'm not sure uh events is large enough to be featured, but if you're listening, Amol, let's do one. 00:47:21.199 --> 00:47:23.599 And then the last one I'm gonna cheat and throw a couple in. 00:47:23.679 --> 00:47:27.599 I've very much learned to start enjoying Alistair Campbell and Rory Stewart. 00:47:27.840 --> 00:47:28.719 The rest is politics. 00:47:28.880 --> 00:47:30.960 And I met Alistair at an event. 00:47:31.199 --> 00:47:33.920 We have a selfie, so he's obviously my best friend now. 00:47:34.159 --> 00:47:41.760 But it's got myself and my wife quite interested in what's going on in the world and and how we can interpret it and potentially affect it in our own little way. 00:47:41.920 --> 00:47:43.840 So yeah, I'm gonna take them as a couple, please. 00:47:44.079 --> 00:47:44.880 Yeah, no, that's fine. 00:47:44.960 --> 00:47:46.239 And I'll give you that 100%. 00:47:46.559 --> 00:47:58.559 And I think with Rory as well, for someone who is, I mean, he's young certainly compared to me, he is so well travelled and so knowledgeable about things that I I mean I know nothing about. 00:47:58.960 --> 00:48:10.639 I enjoy listening to them a lot, and I actually followed the other one which I would advise you to is uh to listen to is Political Currency uh with Ed Bald and George Osborne, which is just brilliant as well. 00:48:10.800 --> 00:48:13.199 And I I like the whole left versus right. 00:48:13.280 --> 00:48:19.840 I know they're centrist left and centrist right, but I like the banter that Alistair and and Rory have, and and as a consequence, George and Ed have as well. 00:48:19.920 --> 00:48:20.960 I think they're fascinating. 00:48:21.199 --> 00:48:25.039 John Simpson would love chatting with Alistair Campbell, I should imagine. 00:48:25.519 --> 00:48:27.440 Well, yeah, there may be some fireworks, I don't know. 00:48:27.760 --> 00:48:29.920 That would be an entertaining dinner party, nonetheless. 00:48:30.159 --> 00:48:33.679 And finally, if you weren't running Event Decision, what would you be doing? 00:48:34.000 --> 00:48:36.320 It would still be in events, that's all I've ever done. 00:48:36.480 --> 00:48:50.000 If I wasn't uh part of Event Decision, I I hopefully would have uh, you know, a fun and challenging role in a uh probably agency side, somewhere working on some events that maybe some people attend and here have heard of. 00:48:50.079 --> 00:48:55.280 But it's not a path, never intended to be self-employed, but or rather a you know a founder. 00:48:55.440 --> 00:49:00.559 But actually, wow, how much fun it is, how how it affects one's sleep, hence the jogging. 00:49:00.719 --> 00:49:05.440 But you know, it's a challenge every day, it's new stuff, but it is so much fun. 00:49:05.599 --> 00:49:07.679 And it won't be the first you've heard. 00:49:07.760 --> 00:49:15.840 Um, having listened to a few of your conversations with with other Event Matters folk, you know, being responsible to oneself is quite attractive. 00:49:16.079 --> 00:49:20.079 Listen, Matt Gray, thank you very, very much indeed for being a guest on Event Matters. 00:49:20.159 --> 00:49:32.880 It's been a total pleasure, and I really, really genuinely hope that lots of people listen to this because it is, you know, what you say is so important, and it and we are all responsible going forward for making this world a better place. 00:49:32.960 --> 00:49:34.480 So thank you very much indeed.