In Autumn 2023, B2B shared experience agency, OrangeDoorEvents, organised an event at The Mermaid London for its client, Personio, an all-in-one HR software solutions company, designed to empower organisations to work better.
Welcoming 400 guests, ‘HUG in London’ was part of Personio’s HUG European tour, bringing HR professionals across the continent together to connect, gain valuable insights from industry leaders, expand professional networks, and shape the future of the human resources sector.
Rachelle Speed, senior producer at OrangeDoor Events, said: “We chose The Mermaid London primarily for its central London location and excellent travel links to outer London. To encourage guests, location is key, especially as this event is still in its early years, so access and ease were paramount.”
Multi-purpose spaces
Personio utilised the only 600-seated auditorium in the city of London, for the main plenary, where guests engaged with speakers including Sir Ranulph Fiennes, explorer and author, and Steven Bartlett, founder of Social Chain. In a twist, guests were surprised with a stage reveal to unveil a four-piece quartet band. This feature came complete with enhanced lighting, a beat boxer and edible mist orbs.
Speed said: “The stage reveal was so unexpected and a complete surprise for our guests. The entertainment we put behind here lifted the event and took it from a conference to a remarkable occasion.”
The Mermaid London’s River Rooms provided the perfect backdrop for dinner and refreshments, as well as a light-filled space for exhibitors to connect with visitors. Its, jigsaw-like Newgate Suite featuring multiple interconnected whiteboard walls, was chopped, changed, and put back together again with ease to create a series of separate breakout rooms, arranged in a theatre style, where guests could dive deeper into topics of interest in spaces designed for collaboration, community and conversation.
Challenges
Given the size of the event, the biggest challenge was organising the number of third parties involved, who provided elements such as furniture for example, to ensure everything was co-ordinated and the event could run smoothly. The team at The Mermaid London established clear lines of communication with the client and with suppliers to successfully navigate this challenge; this made for a transparent, structured and collaborative process for all involved which, in turn, guaranteed a polished, professional and thoroughly enjoyable event.
On-hand expertise…
As well as surprising guests with the stage reveal orchestrated by technical specialists, RockitEvent Production, Personio enjoyed a full AV set-up in the auditorium and Newgate Suite. The auditorium saw Gobo projection and enhanced lighting to walls and curtains, comfort monitors, and repeater screens, while in the Newgate Suite it comprised of staging in each breakout space, uplighters, a lectern, and 55” LCD screens.
Personio transformed the look of The Mermaid London with the help of branding gurus, JupiterVisual Communications. Using customised branding across pillars in the Newgate Suite, mezzanine and foyer to create a one-of-a-kind look for its event, Personio also chose to highlight client stats and highlights throughout The Gallery, creating a journey of accomplishments from the past year across the walkway. As part of its day delegate rate package, Personio’s guests were treated to a three-course menu catered for by award-winning culinary experts, Seasoned.
Summing up her experience with The Mermaid London, Speed commented: “I have placed a range of our clients into the venue over the last six months and each event has been a great success. We love the blank canvas areas we can dress and bring to fruition our clients’ vision.”
