The company I hoped we'd become: 25 years of OE

Last month, I stood in the grounds of a country club hotel watching my team attempt to herd ducks through an obstacle course, including one star duck with genuine screen credits (Beauty and the Beast, in case you wondered) and I thought: this is exactly the company I hoped we'd become. Not the ducks, specifically. But a team that works hard, laughs harder and does everything, even a party, with intention.

Twenty-five years ago, in 2001, Alexandra Sibley and I founded Outsourced Events with a simple but ambitious goal: to build an event management agency that integrates with clients' businesses. We wanted to be more than a supplier… a genuine extension of their team! That philosophy has underpinned everything since. Our very first client relationships are still with us today; in fact, our longest partnership spans our entire 25-year history. In an industry where agencies come and go, I don't think there's a prouder statistic.

We started out in my son's bedroom, where his cot by night became Alex's and my desk by day. From there to the stunning 7th-floor offices we have today, we've come a long way!

The journey hasn't been a straight line. By 2007 we'd established ourselves as a major player in the technology and not-for-profit sectors, delivering high-profile international events. But it's the hard moments that shape a company. When the pandemic made in-person events impossible overnight, we pivoted the entire business to virtual delivery, retaining every single client and, most importantly to me, protecting jobs. Coming out of that period, we didn't just recover; we diversified, launching marketing services as a whole new offering and solidifying the five values that now run through everything we do: we're partners, we care, we put people first, we challenge and we're curious.

The proof those values work? Over the last six years our revenue has tripled and our team has doubled and our culture has scaled with us. Today we're 50+ people delivering more than 240 events a year worldwide, with a perfect client Net Promoter Score and Best Companies accreditation to show that both our clients and our team would say the same thing about working with us.

So, when it came to celebrating our 25th anniversary, we did what we do best: we planned it like an event that mattered. Because it did.

We surveyed the team in advance, just as we would delegates, on which activities they wanted, from spa treatments to golf, padel to arts and crafts. Everyone received a personalised itinerary. We even asked what snacks they wanted waiting in their rooms. On day two, we opened the doors to families and friends for a BBQ, with gifts waiting in the rooms for every child. Our annual internal awards recognised the people behind the work, with an amazing cake made by one of our senior event executives, Jessica and the dance floor powered by our very own Andrea and Marcos on the decks.

And yes, we herded ducks. If you've ever managed a conference registration desk at 8am, you'll understand why it felt strangely familiar. (For the record: delegates are harder.)

What struck me most across those two days wasn't the activities. It was watching people who spend their working lives creating brilliant experiences for others be on the receiving end for once and seeing how much it meant.

Many lovely comments of appreciation came through during our celebrations and the days that followed, but one sentiment stood out: our newest team members were surprised and genuinely moved, to have been included. But why wouldn't they be? In an industry built on human connection, at a company that puts people first, they belong from day one. There's no probation period on being part of a team. If you're here, you're one of us and that shouldn't be a surprise to anyone.

Twenty-five years in, I'm often asked what the secret is. It isn't complicated: hire people who care, trust them, invest in them properly and never lose sight of the fact that events are ultimately about people feeling looked after. That's true for a 3,000-delegate conference and it's true for a team BBQ. Building a brilliant culture and building a brilliant business are not a trade-off; they are the same thing.

Here's to the next twenty-five. To our clients, some of whom have trusted us for our entire history; to our partners and suppliers; and above all to the OE team, past and present: thank you. This story is yours as much as it is mine.

Twenty-five years in, we're as committed as ever to being a genuine extension of our clients' teams. If you're planning your next conference, tradeshow or partner event, get in touch with our team to talk about what we could create together. And if you'd like to be part of the next 25 years, find out about working for us.

Frequently asked questions

When was Outsourced Events founded?
Outsourced Events was founded in 2001 by Denise Sharpe and Alexandra Sibley. It started in Denise's son's bedroom and is now based in offices in Hammersmith, London.

What does Outsourced Events do?
Outsourced Events is a B2B event management agency delivering more than 240 events a year worldwide, from conferences and tradeshows to partner summits and executive events, for technology brands and professional associations.

What are Outsourced Events' values?
The agency's five values are: we're partners, we care, we put people first, we challenge and we're curious.

How did Outsourced Events adapt during the pandemic?
When in-person events stopped overnight, Outsourced Events moved the entire business to virtual delivery, kept every client and protected jobs. It later launched marketing services as a new offering.

How long have Outsourced Events' client partnerships lasted?
Many of the agency's first client relationships are still in place today and its longest partnership spans the full 25 years.

How did Outsourced Events celebrate its 25th anniversary?
The team planned it like any event that matters: a two-day celebration at a country club hotel, with personalised itineraries, activities chosen by the team, a family BBQ, internal awards and, yes, duck herding.

About Outsourced Events

Outsourced Events is an award-winning B2B event management agency, founded in 2001 by Denise Sharpe and Alexandra Sibley. With a team of 50+ people, the agency delivers more than 240 events a year worldwide for technology brands, professional associations and not-for-profits, from tradeshows and partner conferences to medical congresses and executive events. In its 25th year, Outsourced Events was named Best Large Agency of the Year at the UK Agency Awards 2026 and Best Event Agency at the Conference & Events Awards 2026.