Q1: The Top 100 European event agency leaders list has provided a who’s who of the events industry for the first time. How do you see this recognition, and what does it mean for your agency?
While some notable figures may not appear on this list and others perhaps shouldn’t be included, I leave that judgment to your readers. I see this list as a welcome recognition of the hard work and dedication of OVAL’s talented European team.
Q2: Live events seem to be the buzzword of 2026. With the industry going from strength to strength, how do you see the future of events?
Today, it is clearer than ever, especially following COVID (which I see as a global ‘campaign’ that demonstrated the value of human connection), that live interaction is crucial. While our industry is constantly evolving and becoming more digital and virtual, I am convinced that the importance of live experiences will continue to grow at the same pace.
‘Live’ will become increasingly exclusive and sought after.
However, this comes with a responsibility: live events must always bring real added value. If they don’t, they are simply not worth the investment.
Q3: How are economic and political turmoil, rising production costs and ambitious client expectations affecting your agency’s business model?
The entire sector is facing unprecedented pressure from procurement and administrative regulations, which have, in some cases, become absurd. This not only threatens our industry but also poses a significant hurdle for our direct contacts on the client side, who are navigating their own internal constraints. As a sector, we must unite with one clear voice to challenge these unproductive practices.
Q4: Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping creative and operational processes. To what extent have you integrated it across your processes, and which jobs remain out of its reach?
AI is integrated into everything we do, and every one of our colleagues has been impacted by this remarkable development.
Q5: Sustainability has become both a strategic responsibility and a measurable business criterion. How is your agency translating environmental commitments into concrete results and accountability?
OVAL is a proud B Corp agency; we adhere to the highest standards. That said, implementing everything we strive for can be challenging. I have the impression that, following the latest US administration changes, some large companies in Europe also feel less pressure to prioritise sustainability. However, given the natural disasters we have seen across Europe and the world in recent months, I hope there is a clear understanding that we must act now.
Q6: How does your event agency attract and retain young talent?
OVAL attracts and retains young talent by the nature and quality of the work we produce.
Q7: If you could enter a time machine, what would you advise yourself when you first started in the events industry?
I would advise my younger self to work in a well-regarded agency for at least five years before starting my own business. It would have saved me 20 years of learning the hard way (though I have no regrets ;-))
Q8: If you had to single out one event from your portfolio, which would it be and why?
The 50th birthday of the Smurfs, now almost 20 years ago. This was a special project for our agency because we mixed ‘live + PR + digital’ for the first time on a European scale, which helped turn the Smurfs into an experiential brand.
“The word pitches should be banned and replaced by scouting.”
Q9: Which industry buzzword would you permanently ban, and what uncomfortable truth should event agencies start discussing instead?
The word ‘pitches’ should be banned and replaced by ‘scouting’. We should discuss how our fragmented, highly competitive attitude is holding us back from getting paid for the added value we bring.
Q10: Does Europe genuinely operate as one event market, or do outdated divisions between established Western markets and “New Europe” still influence budgets, visibility and access to opportunities?
Also in our domain, Europe is still not acting as one; as everyone knows, we can and have to make huge progress on this point. This is the largest challenge of our continent, impacting every industry. But I have to say that we see a growing number of projects within OVAL that we deliver across Europe, regardless of the nationality of our direct client. Something is moving in the right direction; that’s for sure.
Learn more about projects envisioned and produced by OVAL agency here.
