The Art of Event Management: Priyanka Roy Kapur on Merging Business with Creativity
by Komal Darji Industry Watch | September 27, 2024 | Interview
Priyanka Roy Kapur The Livewire Experience
Priyanka Roy Kapur is the co-founder of The Livewire Experience, an agency specializing in corporate events and experiential marketing. She began her career in HR and marketing at Bharti Airtel before holding management roles at Spice Digital and Disney UTV. Driven by her passion for the performing arts, particularly theater and Bharatnatyam, she launched Livewire in 2013. Under her leadership, the agency has focused on large-scale corporate events and is looking to expand geographically and diversify into wedding planning and government services. Her focus on nurturing talent, promoting innovation, and fostering an inclusive environment plays a key role in shaping Livewire’s success and the events industry.
In an interview with EVENTFAQS Media, Priyanka Roy Kapur discusses the evolution of corporate event management through hybrid events and technology integration. She explains how Livewire personalizes experiences for diverse audiences while ensuring precision in large-scale events like international conferences and product launches. Priyanka also shares how her corporate experience informs her approach to managing client expectations in weddings.
Corporate event management has seen significant evolution in recent years with hybrid events and tech integration. How has Livewire embraced these innovations, and what trends do you see shaping the future of corporate events?
Livewire has fully embraced the world of hybrid events and tech integration in everyday events by creating virtual immersive environments, product demonstrations, virtual exhibitions, global award platforms, channel meets and engagement driven events for corporates. Hybrid events are becoming increasingly important day by day since they extend the reach of events globally overcoming geographic limitations, offer on-demand content & offer both physical & virtual touchpoints for engagements so it was only imperative for Livewire to embrace this world since it emerged as an important need for our clients.
Moving forward, I see AI powered events and sustainable events as key trends that will shape the future of corporate events, allowing for hyper-personalization and more targeted engagement.
Personalization has become key in corporate events. How do you tailor experiences to meet the unique needs of diverse audiences while still delivering consistent, impactful outcomes?
At Livewire, we believe in crafting impactful experiential solutions that engage and add value to businesses, individuals and the entire ecosystem that’s involved in the process. Having said that, understanding our client’s why, their brand & the impact they want to have on their audiences is very important to us and that’s really where the personalization begins. We act like the extension of their creative teams by creating touchpoints that will resonate with them through various phases of the event from pre to post including custom content, tailored activities, entertainment and even sensory experiences that speak directly to the audiences. However, what remains consistent is our commitment to delivering value, engagement, and memorable takeaways, regardless of the event type or audience.
Handling large-scale corporate events requires immense precision and logistical expertise. Could you walk us through your process for managing complex events, such as international conferences, product launches or annual gatherings upwards of 10,000 pax?
At Livewire, we take immense pride in the fact that we’re experts when it comes to managing large scale corporate events. For that one needs to look at things from a macro level first, begin with multiple recces, detailed planning sessions and then deep dive into the minutest of details mapping every aspect of the event from venue selection to crowd management, logistics and safety management, to the technicals, registrations, content creation, artist curation, dry runs and show flow management. Setting up a clear communication channel between our teams, vendors and the client is key. For international conferences, we work closely with verified local partners whom we bring on board post a thorough evaluation process. Every phase of the event is monitored to ensure timelines and budgets are met. We also prioritize contingency plans for every possible scenario.
What strategies do you use to ensure that every detail, from timing to tech support, aligns perfectly in large-scale corporate events? How do you prepare for unexpected challenges?
For us, it’s all about planning, preparation and real-time problem-solving. We have multiple meetings and run throughs with our vendors to ensure they are aligned with our vision. We create detailed show flow documents with manpower allocation to ensure that each person, team, stakeholder knows their responsibility making sure each aspect of the event is in sync down to the last minute. We are a bunch of experienced event professionals so our teams are trained to anticipate potential issues, and we always have backups for everything, including equipment, staff, and technology. We make sure to have multiple dry runs and ofcourse continuous communication with all stakeholders ensures we can adjust swiftly to any unexpected developments.
Your expertise in corporate event management is well-known, but how do you apply this corporate discipline and meticulous planning when organizing weddings, which often come with more personal and emotional stakes?
We’ve always felt that that we can add a lot more professionalism and bring more order to the world of weddings. The stakes are ofcourse higher when emotions are involved, but the same principles of meticulous planning apply. In fact, the corporate discipline we’ve honed helps us manage the complexities of weddings, from destination management, hospitality, curating guest experiences to vendor coordination. We bring the same level of detail, precision and structure to weddings from our corporate universe with the right blend of patience, creativity and interpersonal skills that help us navigate the emotional nature of wedding planning. The key is blending creativity with flawless execution.
How has working in the high-pressure environment of corporate events helped you approach weddings differently, especially when it comes to managing client expectations and delivering flawless execution.
Corporate events have equipped me with the ability to handle high-pressure situations with poise and professionalism, a skill that has proven invaluable in the realm of wedding planning. Clients come to us with a clear vision, and it is our responsibility to execute that vision seamlessly. Whether serving a corporate client or a couple that wants to have their dream wedding, the approach remains consistent: clear communication, meticulous planning, flawless execution and creating an experience. Managing client expectations is all about transparency and trust—qualities that my experience in corporate events has helped me refine and master.
In an interview with EVENTFAQS Media, Priyanka Roy Kapur discusses the evolution of corporate event management through hybrid events and technology integration.