Organiser voice Main Stage Panel Discussion
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As AI advances from an experimental novelty to a mandatory operational requirement, event agencies are facing intense pressure to deploy these tools across the entire event lifecycle. But what does the integration look like behind the scenes?
This candid panel discussion brings together leading operational and creative directors from diverse event agencies to bypass the typical industry hype. The panellists will share the genuine friction points, structural pressures, and unexpected failures they’ve encountered while implementing AI. From initial client pitch conceptualisation to live on-site crowd management and post-event intelligence.
They will address the hard questions: How do you manage team pushback? Where does AI actually drain time instead of saving it? How do you protect data integrity without sacrificing innovation?
Speakers
A creative director with 15 years of experience, blending conceptual vision with hands-on execution to craft impactful digital brand experiences. A leader of award-winning creative teams across both Product Design and Creative Technology. Passionate about using immersive technologies–gaming, VR, AR and interactive web–to engage audiences in new ways. A strategic leader, who excels at shaping briefs into fully developed, engaging, and intuitive experiences that resonate with audiences.
Nancy is the Agency Operations Senior Manager at GPJ, specialising in turning ambitious, complex ideas into streamlined realities. For the last two years, her focus has been driving agency transformation initiatives, including leading the region's AI implementation to help teams work smarter and push creative boundaries.
Zara Kerwood is a pioneer in experience technology, leading the GPJ London Lab to design and execute cutting-edge, tech-driven experiences for global brands like IBM, Cisco, Nike, and DP World. Specializing in AI, UX (AR/VR), and IoT, Zara bridges the gap between complex technology and authentic audience engagement.
As a recognized industry authority, Zara is uniquely positioned to moderate this panel. She brings real-world experience navigating the structural friction, team adoption hurdles, and data security challenges of deploying emerging tech. Crucially for this session’s focus on "hard truths," Zara possesses a deep operational understanding of how to guide brands through an unregulated AI landscape, ensuring client work stays within strict ethical and quality boundaries while still delivering high-impact, future-facing experiences.