Looking back at a successful sponsorship of the AEO Forums

Fusion enjoyed a packed day at the AEO Forums earlier this month. The theme for this years’ event was Collaborate to Innovate, and this message was captured throughout the day in the numerous panels, workshops and networking opportunities. 

The 2025 Forum was particularly special for Fusion, as we took on sponsorship of the event, as well as providing the registration services, including front-of-house staffing and self-service badging, facilitating a quick and easy entry for everyone in attendance. 

In keeping with the theme of the day, there were three busy streams across Marketing, Sales and Ops, all kicking off with social impact consultant from It Takes A Village Collective, Chloe Davies’, discussion on Breaking Barriers: The power of community-led innovation. She demonstrated how she’s embedded community values into every aspect of her career, sharing proven strategies on how to identify and break down misaligned goals and silos before they form. 

Steve Russell, Fusion’s Director, said:

“For me, the keynote delivered by Chloe Davies of It Takes a Village Collective was a standout moment. Her timely and inspirational reminder of how collaboration and understanding are crucial to the success of society, was an inspiring segue into Friday’s events.”

The event then split into its three streams of activity, with a wealth of knowledge spread across all three areas from numerous speakers. We learnt how to unlock our creativity to drive innovation with Dave Hall, CEO of the Ideas Centre Group; gained insights into leveraging AI to optimise sales from Andrew Davis, Digital Consultant & Workshop Leader; and did a deep dive into data centricity, discovering how to get to the heart of the target audience with AJ Rajeswaran, Founder & CEO of CXDATA. 

Each discussion was lively and packed with useful insights to take away, sparking more opportunities for networking and continued debate in the refreshment breaks afterwards. 

Herbert Jan Hamersteen, Account Director for Fusion, said:

“Attending the AEO Forums once again was an absolute pleasure—marking my fourth consecutive year at this incredible event. The AEO continues to be a vital organisation for the British events industry, providing invaluable insights and fostering meaningful connections. The sessions throughout the day were inspiring, offering fresh perspectives on the evolving landscape of our industry. Of course, one of the highlights was reconnecting with so many colleagues, friends, and industry peers.”

Following the AEO Forums we had the pleasure of being an event partner of the AEO People’s Awards, where there was a chance to recognise some of the incredible professionals making events happen. 

“The AEO People’s Awards was another standout moment,” said Herbert, Account Director for Fusion.

“As a sponsor, it’s always a privilege to play a small part in recognising the outstanding talent that drives our industry forward. However, this year was particularly special for me, as I had the honour of serving on the judging panel—a great experience. Seeing first-hand the dedication, passion, and innovation within our industry was both inspiring and rewarding.”

Awards were presented across 11 categories, covering a breadth of industry roles and shining a spotlight on some of the outstanding work that takes place within our industry. It was the perfect way to wrap up a fantastic day with AEO, ensuring every area of the event was touched upon and recognition correctly shared. 

Herbert added:

“A huge congratulations to all the nominees and winners - your hard work and achievements continue to shape the future of our industry. Looking forward to another fantastic year ahead!”

If you would like to find out more about how Fusion can help you create better events, head over to our website to discover what we can do. From pre-event planning to registration and other on the day support, all the way through to reporting and post-event analysis, Fusion has the tools you need to deliver outstanding events and enhance the experience for your attendees.