Client: Global Corporate Governance Colloquium
Event: 2025 Global Corporate Governance Colloquium
Date: 13th June 2025
No of guests: 80
Event space: Smith Centre
What was the event brief & objective?
We were looking to organise a drinks reception and seated dinner for 80 people who were attending an international conference at Imperial London.
Why was the Science Museum chosen for this event?
We reviewed proposals from 13 potential venues for the dinner. The Science Museum was within budget, very close to the conference venue, and highly accommodating.
What sort of experience did you want to create?
As it was scheduled for an early summer evening and our guests had mostly travelled from overseas, we wanted to create a welcoming British experience that complemented the high standards of Imperial London. Following an intense day of academic debate, we wanted to give them a relaxed experience where they could rest and chat with old and new friends.
How did you choose which space at the museum you wanted to use?
We chose The Smith Centre to make the most of the fresh air with its Courtyard. After spending the day in an auditorium without windows, it was important to provide plenty of natural light!
How did Smith Centre work for your event? What was the benefit of using this space?
The room was very light and spacious with high ceilings. The drinks reception was set up in the Courtyard which worked very well too. Additionally, it was very private and self-contained which was nice.
Who were your catering and AV partners? Did the suppliers create anything bespoke for the event?
We were very budget conscious in our choices as it was an academic event funded by a partnership of universities. We didn’t engage an AV partner because we decided against dinner speeches and entertainment, and because it was an early evening in June, we didn’t need additional lighting.
For catering, we worked with The Clink which is a social enterprise and charity that helps disadvantaged youths. Their proposal was equally professional when compared with the many we received and their offer was closest to our budget. They were a pleasure to work with on menu selection, room format, and all of the details. On the evening, the team were excellent and took great care of our guests.
Menu options included hot salt beef served in a brioche bun with pickles and mustard mayo; courgette and chilli arancini with lemon mayo dip; smoked duck, compressed watermelon, pickled fennel, ginger & lime; grilled red mullet, romesco sauce, new potatoes, samphire & broccoli and gateaux opera with vanilla ice cream & a coffee & chocolate crumb.
What feedback did you receive from guests?
The guests were all very happy with the evening and able to leisurely stroll back to the hotel afterwards.
Client testimonial:
“It was an absolute pleasure to work with the teams at The Science Museum and The Clink to deliver this event. They were accommodating at every turn and made it a very seamless experience from start to finish. Together we achieved our goal of providing a relaxed evening of great food and conversation, as we carved out a peaceful moment in an otherwise chaotic world.”
– Elaine McPartlan, General Manager, European Corporate Governance Institute
