Lessons from the Trenches: How FT Live is Redefining B2B Media Events

As many of you know, I recently had the pleasure of hosting Orson Francescone, Managing Director of FT Live, on The Revenue Room™ podcast. And what a conversation it was! Orson brought incredible energy and insights from his 20-year career in B2B events, sharing a fascinating journey from conference producer at Euromoney to his current role leading the Financial Times' global events business.

For those who missed it (or just want the highlights), I wanted to share some of the key takeaways from our chat – because honestly, there was too much good stuff to keep to myself.

From Program Development to Record Growth

First, a little about Orson's impressive background. He's been at the helm of FT Live for five years, where they've achieved an 18% annual growth rate (those are startup-level numbers!). In 2024 alone, they produced 240 events with 3,500 speakers and 86,000 attendees.

What struck me most was how Orson's career has paralleled the evolution of the B2B events industry itself. He started at Euromoney during that pivotal 2005 period when B2B magazines were transitioning awkwardly to digital, and event sponsorship was just emerging as a revenue model. He described the rigorous training in conference production – 150 research calls for a single event program, laborious speaker recruitment, and the constant focus on the "fear/greed factor" when writing session descriptions.

"Does it appeal to the fear/greed factor?" Orson explained. "Is the person thinking: 'If I miss this session, I'm going to miss out on making money, or there's a strategic threat to my business'?" Talk about an irresistible hook!

SEE OUR FULL INTERVIEW ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

But as the industry evolved, so did Orson's role. As digital platforms and social media became more prevalent, he found himself not only responsible for producing high-quality events, but also managing their online presence and engagement.

"I remember when we first started live streaming our events," Orson recalled. "It was a whole new world for us. Suddenly, we had to think about producing content that could be consumed both in-person and virtually."

This shift required Orson to adapt his approach to event production. Instead of solely focusing on the physical logistics of an event, he now had to consider how the content would translate to a virtual audience. This meant creating visually engaging presentations, incorporating interactive elements, and ensuring a seamless experience for those tuning in remotely

The FT Advantage: Straddling B2B and B2C

One of my favorite insights was Orson's description of the Financial Times as "this incredible medieval creature with different heads" – simultaneously a B2C daily newspaper and a B2B information service. This unique positioning gives FT Live tremendous flexibility in the sectors they can play in, while also creating the enviable challenge of having to say "no" to too many good ideas.

This dual identity has shaped their approach to events, offering what Orson calls solutions for "every stage of the funnel":

The Funnel at FT Live!

1. Top of funnel: Digital events that can be spun up quickly to deliver thousands of leads
2. Middle of funnel: Hybrid public events with in-person and online components
3. Bottom of funnel: Intimate, high-touch activations like Michelin-starred dinners with 10 key prospects, convened by FT journalists

This full-funnel approach struck me as incredibly smart. Their sales team can approach clients with a 360-degree solution that meets them exactly where they need to be, whether that's generating leads, building brand presence, or closing deals with key prospects.

The Hybrid Event Strategy Everyone Else Abandoned

Here's where I want to give Orson major props: While most event organizers rushed to abandon digital components as soon as in-person events returned, FT Live maintained their commitment to a hybrid model. When Orson's head of operations suggested dropping the digital component because it was expensive and labor-intensive, he stood firm.

Why? Because the digital layer delivers tremendous value:

1. Global reach: "We've got people in Papua New Guinea watching this event. What other marketing channel would we ever consider using to reach somebody in Papua New Guinea?"
2. Lead generation: Thousands of digital attendees feed into their subscription funnel
3. Sponsor value: What sponsor wouldn't want both in-person attendees AND thousands of digital viewers?
4. Content testing: People can sample digitally before committing to attend in person

The results speak for themselves. FT Live's hybrid approach has become a massive competitive advantage, creating synergies with their subscription business. Their data team has even proven that subscribers who attend FT Live events have a higher renewal rate, and non-subscribers who attend are more likely to convert.

AI: Threat or Opportunity?

When I asked about AI's impact on events, Orson had a refreshingly balanced take. While some event organizers are gloating that events are "AI-proof" because of the human element, Orson sees a more nuanced picture.

He acknowledged that AI is dramatically lowering barriers to entry. Those 150 research calls that once took weeks? ChatGPT can now produce a decent conference program in minutes. As he put it: "I picked a conference from the leading provider in a particular sector and asked ChatGPT to write me a conference program that would attract more people... two minutes later it came up with something pretty amazing."

But rather than seeing this as a threat, Orson's team is embracing AI's potential for productivity enhancement. Each department at FT Live is working on AI applications to streamline their workflows.

This reminded me of the Google disruption in the early 2000s – painful for many media companies, but transformative for those who adapted. The difference is that AI feels like it has even more opportunity built in, if you're willing to lead rather than follow.

The Venue Challenge

On a more practical note, we had a fun discussion about venue selection (a personal obsession of mine). Orson shared some war stories from his early days running events in "pretty ropey venues" in London with 85% margins, to his more recent luxury experiences like hosting a gala dinner at the Cipriani in Venice.

But he also highlighted the skyrocketing costs of high-end venues: "You now go to a five-star hotel and it's at least $1,500 a night when five years ago it would have been $350." This creates a real challenge for premium event organizers who need to maintain quality while keeping overall attendee expenses manageable.

Final Thoughts

What stayed with me most from our conversation was Orson's balanced approach – commercially savvy while remaining deeply focused on quality, open to innovation while honoring the fundamentals of great events.

In an industry that's experiencing simultaneous disruption from AI, rising costs, and changing attendee expectations, leaders like Orson show us how to navigate the complexity with both strategic vision and pragmatic execution.

And for those curious about his personal recommendations: he's currently obsessed with Buenos Aires (he's been five times!) and credits Milton Friedman's "Free to Choose" as the book that's most shaped his thinking.

Until next time!

-Heather

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