0:00 – 0:46 – Introduction
Heather Holst-Knudsen welcomes Orson Francescone, Managing Director of FT Live, the global events arm of the Financial Times. Under his leadership, FT Live achieved record-breaking success in 2024 with 240 events, 3,500 speakers, and 86,000 attendees.
0:46 – 6:59 – Career Journey
Orson recounts his 20-year career in events, starting at Euromoney Institutional Investor, moving into trade shows with DMG Events, then a mixed portfolio at Haymarket Media, and finally joining FT Live in 2019. He shares insights into early B2B conference models and the evolution toward sponsorship-driven revenue.
7:00 – 11:10 – Event Model Evolution
He explains differences between UK and US event markets, the importance of content research, and how sponsorship became a primary revenue source after digital disruption reduced magazine ad revenues.
11:10 – 16:21 – FT Live Business Models
FT Live operates with two main models:
Owned public events – ticketed conferences with multiple sponsors
Partnership events – single-sponsor, bespoke activations
They tailor events across the marketing funnel—from lead-generation webinars to high-end private dinners—maintaining a 100% hybrid format.
16:21 – 21:43 – Sales & Collaboration
FT Live has a specialized events sales team separate from the advertising sales team but with cross-selling incentives. Orson notes event sales are largely outbound, unlike advertising which is more inbound.
21:43 – 30:40 – AI in Events
Orson is optimistic about AI as a productivity enhancer but acknowledges it lowers barriers to entry for new competitors by enabling faster program creation and marketing. This could lead to more competition in B2B events.
30:40 – 36:36 – Data-Driven Decision Making
Data is central to FT Live—tracking sponsorship and ticket sales, marketing metrics, and database growth. Event data also feeds into FT’s subscription business, with proven links between event attendance and subscription renewals/acquisitions.
36:36 – 42:48 – Hybrid Event Strategy
FT Live maintained hybrid events post-pandemic due to global reach, data generation, and sponsor value. They can produce high-quality digital streams cost-effectively thanks to in-house expertise developed during COVID-19.
42:48 – 49:28 – Venue Selection
Venue choice impacts attendee perception, budget, and overall ROI. Orson shares examples from luxury events in Venice to challenges with rising hotel costs.
49:28 – 52:32 – Personal Insights
Orson names Buenos Aires and Argentina as favorite destinations, and “Free to Choose” by Milton Friedman as his most influential book.
