The future of event design is moving away from mere logistical execution and towards creating authentic, deeply personal, and co-created experiences, according to panellists on the MICE Leaders’ Panel: MICE 2030: Innovating for a Bold New Era in Event Design and Experiences at ITB Asia 2025 this morning.
Anna Patterson, founder and chief amazement officer of Sight Agency, pointed out that this shift demands event planners to play the role of “brand storytellers” and “event architects”, as programmes move beyond an eight-hour confinement in conference rooms.
“What we are going into now is a bold new era of co-creation, away from operational matters into designing experiences and telling stories. Everyone is asking for authenticity in what we create, and having empathy, and the audience intimately integrated, is how events are created now,” stated Patterson.
She shared how Sight Agency helped a client transform a hall at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre for an event two weeks ago that had a padel court, a stage with lounge chairs, and a nightclub-esque space.
Sight Agency also helped a client, who was inspired by the Vegas Sphere, to recreate a small, three-metre version.
Patterson emphasised that powerful design is “not so much dictated by budget, but the creative thinking of the agency and concept behind it”.
Business events looking to include wellness in the programme can hire a local yoga instructor or engage Karu Nanithi, Marina Bay Sands’ director of wellness, added Patterson, as she shared ideas for this trending focus in events.
Damian Pisanelli, vice president, global accounts, ConferenceDirect, spoke of the needs of the modern attendee, particularly the younger generation.
“It’s all about the experience these days. Gen Zs and millennials look for scope. They are looking to be part of a community, or to be attached to something that gives back. (As event planners), we need to look at the market we’re going into, and how we can find partners to make the conference an experience,” he elaborated.
Meanwhile, Chris Burke, group managing director of Creative Technology Asia, noted that technology is vital because it allows the process “from the visual of the creative idea… through to delivering the end product to look and feel the same”, effectively helping to transform “concept to reality”.
From a CVB’s perspective, the destination is no longer a mere backdrop for business events; it is an essential element of the design and attendee experience.
Gareth Martin, CEO of Business Events Perth, spoke of the power of collaboration and local identity.
“It’s really a collaboration of all suppliers in the chain,” he stated, adding that reimagining event spaces and applying “new themes” will allow fresh opportunities to showcase a destination and provide a different experience for event delegates.
