Embassy Event Expo 2016 Review

Full house at Embassy Event Expo

With a packed schedule of summits and VIP visits this year, London’s protocol officers and events organisers from nearly 90 missions seized the chance to attend the Embassy Event Expo at the London InterContinental on Park Lane to help with their planning. In addition to meeting diplomatic manages from a host of venues and hotels, they got the chance to quiz the FCO Visits and VIP Security Sections, Heathrow VIP and Trojan Security about all aspects of VIP visits. New for this year was an eye-opening session on the most cutting-edge event technology from Dr James Morgan of Event Tech Lab to help diplomats manage their events more effectively. There was also a special session with Nick Maxwell of Transparency International on the upcoming Anti-Corruption Summit while cultural attachés got tips from Katie Childs from the National Museum Directors’ Council on planning ahead for their cultural programme. The day ended with a special tribute to Sue Ali, a much-loved colleague who sadly passed away, followed by a convivial reception and amazing prize draw but even those who didn’t win a prize made plenty of contacts so everyone was a winner on the day.

PHOTOS: PIERRE DE VILLIERS