The people behind great events vol 2: Oliver Merlin, CEO, Flip 180

Part one of this interview is available here

No matter how much preparation happens behind the scenes, things don’t always go to plan in events.

A local partner changes their mind, a safety issue appears at the last minute, Stakeholders have competing priorities, and sometimes, the hardest decision is knowing when to stop.

In part one of my conversation with Oliver Merlin, CEO of Flip 180, we explored what happens at the beginning of an event cycle, from proving demand and securing the right partners to balancing creativity with commercial reality.

This time, we're looking at what happens when those plans meet the real world.

I started with a simple question: "Tell me about a moment during an event launch where things nearly fell apart – what did you do?"

Oliver took me back to a launch in Turkey.

The team had passed all the staging gates and were about to launch when, at the last minute, the local government support they had relied on disappeared.

They could have pushed ahead, but without that local support, they knew they wouldn't pass the final GNG.

So they pulled the event.

It wasn't an easy decision, but they trusted the process. Sometimes, good event management is about having the confidence to stop.

"What's the most high-stakes decision you've had to make under pressure at an event?"

This time, the answer came from India.

Just before the doors were due to open, the Health & Safety officer showed Oliver three photographs of three different fire exits – all with padlocked doors.

The keys couldn't immediately be located.

With thousands of people about to enter, there was simply no way to take the risk. The opening was delayed by three hours while the team located the keys and removed the padlocks.

The feedback was terrible and they nearly had a riot on their hands.

But it was the right thing to do.

"What's a mistake you made early in your career that changed how you approach events today?"

Interestingly, Oliver's answer wasn't about event delivery. It was sales.

Early in his career, he underestimated how difficult sales could be. He was working predominantly on market-leading events, where revenue and clients came relatively easily.

As he branched out, that changed.

The lesson? Marketing and Sales need to work hand-in-hand, and there needs to be genuine respect for the work involved in winning and retaining clients and building a community.

"How do you align internal stakeholders who all have different priorities for the same event?"

When Oliver was MD of IFA Berlin, he had multiple senior stakeholders to manage, all with different agendas. It was also a joint venture with the German Consumer Electronics associations, and IFA Berlin itself was a 100-year-old German institution.

His answer was simple:

Respect.

Everyone has their own motives, agenda and idea of what success looks like.

Of course, you have your own goal – a successful event – but understanding what success means to everyone else is just as important.

"What's your approach to managing senior executives or demanding clients during an event launch?"

Communication.

More specifically, proactive communication.

Oliver sets out from Day 1 who, how and when he will communicate, both internally and externally.

Because difficult conversations don't necessarily become easier by avoiding them. If you leave the conversation to come to you, you'll already be on the back foot.

Chatting to Oliver was a great reminder that when things get difficult, the best event professionals don't panic or bury their heads in the sand.

They communicate, trust the process, make the difficult decisions and, when necessary, know when to say stop.

Part three will explore how Oliver builds teams, creates experiences people remember and measures whether an event has truly succeeded.

Whether you’re an events professional exploring your next opportunity or a hiring manager looking for exceptional talent, I’d love to connect. Get in touch to discuss your goals or the latest trends shaping events recruitment.

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About Natasha

With over two decades of hands-on experience in the events industry and specialist recruitment, I work closely with event businesses and professionals to connect exceptional talent with the right opportunities. From specialised brand activations to B2B exhibitions, and beyond, I focus on placing senior event professionals into roles where they can truly make an impact.

Contact Natasha

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About Flip 180

Our company was born based on our expertise and ferocious drive to provide a first-class solution to companies large and small to help them flip their brands, launch new products and grow their revenues.

For years, we have been working on events organisers around the world, taking them from their stagnant state and transforming them into market leaders. From product development, global strategies to granular details of the execution, we have changed the game for many well-known exhibitions, tradeshows and conferences.

The magic isn’t just in the work we do, it is also in what we believe, how we behave, how we lead, educate and evolve your teams. We work rapidly and efficiently with the best of the best.

Visit flip180.co.uk