The Economist Events
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| The Economist Events | |
|---|---|
| Name | The Economist Events |
| Type | Business unit |
| Industry | Media |
| Founded | 2009 |
| Headquarters | London |
| Parent | The Economist Group |
| Products | Conferences, summits, forums, bespoke events |
The Economist Events
The Economist Events is a business unit of The Economist Group that organises international conferences, summits, and forums focused on global finance, technology, energy, healthcare, and policy topics. It convenes leaders from politics, business, finance, academia, and civil society to discuss issues such as sustainability, digital transformation, geopolitics, and innovation. The unit leverages the editorial reputation of The Economist magazine and collaborates with partners including multinational corporations, non-governmental organizations, and multilateral institutions.
Overview
The Economist Events produces sector-specific gatherings that bring speakers and delegates from institutions such as International Monetary Fund, World Bank, United Nations, European Commission, Bank of England, Federal Reserve, World Health Organization, World Economic Forum, and European Central Bank. Programmes often feature leaders from companies like Apple Inc., Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Tesla, Inc., BP plc, Shell plc, ExxonMobil, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, and BlackRock. Venue cities commonly include London, New York City, Singapore, Dubai, Hong Kong, Berlin, Paris, and Washington, D.C..
History and Development
The Economist Group expanded events operations in the 2000s drawing on precedents set by media organisations such as The Financial Times, Bloomberg L.P., Reuters, and The Wall Street Journal. Early partnerships involved corporate sponsors and institutional partners from OECD and NATO networks. Leadership changes reflected careers of executives with backgrounds at McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group, and KPMG. Growth accelerated alongside the rise of industry gatherings like TED Conference, Davos, Milken Institute Global Conference, and Clinton Global Initiative, and adaptations followed global disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic which shifted formats towards virtual platforms used by Zoom Video Communications, Microsoft Teams, and Cisco Systems.
Event Types and Formats
The Economist Events organises formats including executive summits, sector forums, closed-door roundtables, public debates, and bespoke client briefings. These mirror models used by SXSW, Collision Conference, Mobile World Congress, and RSA Conference while integrating editorial panels similar to BBC interviews and TED Talk style keynotes. Formats incorporate plenary sessions, breakout workshops, networking receptions, and sponsored exhibitions; technology integrations have involved platforms developed by companies like Hopin Ltd., Cvent, and Eventbrite. Compliance and governance components reference standards from ISO and partners such as Deloitte, PwC, Ernst & Young, and KPMG.
Notable Events and Series
Prominent series include sector-focused gatherings attracting speakers comparable to those at G7 summit and G20 summit side events, with participation from heads or former heads of state such as Boris Johnson, Emmanuel Macron, Angela Merkel, Justin Trudeau, and Barack Obama at related public forums; senior central bankers like Jerome Powell, Christine Lagarde, Mark Carney, and Mario Draghi have appeared in analogous venues. Energy and climate series draw figures connected to COP26, UNFCCC, International Energy Agency, and Greenpeace leadership, while technology events attract executives from Meta Platforms, Inc., OpenAI, NVIDIA, Intel, and ARM Holdings. Healthcare programmes feature stakeholders from Pfizer, Moderna, Inc., AstraZeneca, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Organization and Operations
The business unit operates within the corporate structure of The Economist Group and coordinates with editorial teams at The Economist magazine while maintaining commercial partnerships with corporations such as Accenture, Siemens, General Electric, Schneider Electric, and Iberdrola. Event production relies on specialist suppliers including audiovisual companies, logistics firms, and venue operators at sites like ExCeL London, Javits Center, Marina Bay Sands, and Dubai World Trade Centre. Sales and marketing draw on networks of institutional clients, sovereign wealth funds such as Government Pension Fund of Norway and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, and corporate procurement alongside sponsorship frameworks used by sponsorship agencies and advertising agencies.
Impact and Reception
The Economist Events has been cited in reportage by outlets like The New York Times, Financial Times, The Guardian, BBC News, Reuters, and Bloomberg News for convening influential participants and shaping discussion agendas on topics tied to institutions such as UNFCCC and World Trade Organization. Critics and analysts from think tanks including Chatham House, Brookings Institution, Council on Foreign Relations, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and RAND Corporation have debated the influence of invitational forums on policymaking and corporate strategy. Academic work from universities like Harvard University, Stanford University, London School of Economics, Oxford University, and Cambridge University has examined the role of media-led events in networks of power and knowledge dissemination.