Global Law Firm Gala Dinner

The Brief

Event Management Agency, Olive 360 was contracted by a Major Global Law Firm to organiser their Partners Conference.  The event, which had never taken place outside of the USA, was to be held in the UK for the first time because of a new London-based Chair.  

The event attracted over 500 delegates mainly from the US and UK but also from Europe, Asia and Mexico.

The Conference was held at the Grosvenor House Hotel where the majority of delegates also stayed.  The client was looking for a traditional versus modern British theme and had already booked the Painted Hall at the Old Royal Naval College for their Gala Dinner on the Saturday evening.  Six months before the event took place numbers rose to 750 and Olive 360 had to come up with a solution...

The Solution

To ensure that they did not lose this valuable event, sales staff at the Painted Hall suggested that Olive 360 talk to their neighbour, the National Maritime Museum, with a view to splitting the Gala Dinner between the two sites – a first for Greenwich and for Olive 360!  The National Maritime Museum’s Upper Deck, situated just across the road offered an equally impressive yet contemporary space – which ultimately fitted in with the overall theme and a deal was done!

On the night, guests were transferred to Greenwich on three boats from Savoy and Westminster Piers with Woods River Cruises. Following cocktails on board, they arrived at Greenwich where all 750 guests enjoyed a short (and unproblematic) walk to their dinner venues.  

On arrival at each venue they were played in by impressive military bands.
Each venue had a toastmaster and opera singing between courses.  The Chairman and after dinner speakers where easily able to address both events as it involved a simple walk across the road.

Liz Yates, Director of Operations, Olive 360 said;

“Because of an increase in numbers, Olive 360 contracted the services of both the Royal Naval College and the National Maritime Museum for our client’s gala dinner.  This was for the same event that had to run simultaneously in every way.  It was the first time that such an event had been done and the teams at both venues worked together seamlessly to ensure that it ran like clockwork on the night.  I would thoroughly recommend that if you are planning a large dinner for your client that you strongly consider either (or both!) of these venues to give your event the “wow factor”.