For more than ten years, Event Buyers Live has been connecting event professionals. As excitement builds ahead of #EBL25, respected #Eventprofs share their experiences of the hosted buyer event. This week, it is Matt Foreman’s turn to reveal what he learned, discovered, and who he met.

What inspired you to get into events, and how long have you been working in the industry?

The first event I helped organise was a summer camp for school kids when I was only 14 myself. I’ve never looked back, and I love the industry that has brought so much reward, variety, and fulfilment to my life. It’s not easy, but when you find the right team it’s a pleasure to come to work every day.

You attended EBL in 2016, please share any success stories or memories linked to your attendance.

I met a number of inspiring folks that I follow to this day, and I recall meeting potential partners with interesting stories and services that have made their way into our supply chain, albeit slowly in some instances. Stimulating presentations and sessions were the icing on the cake, and I enjoyed a mixture of personal event journey’s, challenges shared and solved, and a host of different perspectives making their way on to the stage to learn from.

What would be your dream event to own, launch or work on?

Early in my career I had the pleasure of being a partner agency to the core team running V Festival, so whilst not my sector specialty these days, a music event would be a pleasure to work on again. Unlike festivals, the corporate environment I mainly work in these days often has more restrictive event formats, programmes, or content, so solutions have to be more innovative to get that same level of engagement. I’m a firm believer that creative and left-field problem solving is the big skill required in this industry, and I love working in a team that shares that passion to push boundaries, to do better and brighter every time, regardless of the sector or event type.

What do you do to recover after a busy season or event?

I’ve had the pleasure of travelling extensively in my career, so a couple of days off at home is top of the list. Working in such a varied and interesting world is often fulfilling enough, so I’ve never felt the need to climb a mountain to feel alive. That said, I’d love to get back to sailing one day and perhaps teach my kids before they get too cool to hang out with Dad.

In one word, how would you describe EBL?

Network-focused (not one word per se, but it is hyphenated)

Have you attended Event Buyers Live before? If you would like a moment in the spotlight and are happy to share what you took from #EBL, get in touch. Email marketing@standoutmagazine.co.uk