EMS

What EMS does

Event Management Services (EMS) is a Bath, UK-based B2B event management agency founded in 2004 by Suzy Sclater and Carol Baines. The firm delivers end-to-end conference management, event marketing, and production services for enterprise clients across professional services, research, training, medical education, cultural, and technology sectors. Its service portfolio spans ten functional lines — strategy and planning, programme and speaker management, virtual/hybrid event coordination, delegate sales and marketing, sponsor and exhibit management, attendee registration, budgeting and reporting, venue and supplier sourcing, accommodation and travel, and international event production — effectively operating as an outsourced event department for its clients.

The company runs on a lean operating model: a core team of approximately six event professionals supported by a contractor network that extends its execution capacity on a project basis. There is no proprietary technology platform; EMS is a pure services business that leverages third-party registration systems, venue and supplier relationships, and destination management company (DMC) partnerships across multiple continents to deliver events. Revenue is generated through professional services fees on a project/retainer basis, with quotes tailored to individual client event scope — no standardized pricing is disclosed. The company positions itself as a "seamless extension" of the client's organisation, projecting the client's brand and business strategy while handling operational complexity.

EMS's client base is anchored by multi-year enterprise relationships, including Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) — its first major international client since 2009 — Information Services Group (ISG), Palladium Group (founding client), Red Whale | GP Update, Aqua Media International, INSEAD Alumni Association UK, and The London Library. Geographically, the company claims delivery across 70+ countries, with active event presence in the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Uganda, Malaysia, Singapore, and the USA. The business is independently owned, women-led, and operates as a private limited company with no disclosed external funding.

Name

EMS

Legal name

Event Management Services Ltd

Website

https://ems-ltd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

EMS is a Bath, UK-based B2B event management agency providing end-to-end conference management, event marketing, and production services to enterprise clients in professional services, research, training, and cultural sectors across 70+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bath

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Event Management Services: Professional services revenue generated through comprehensive conference management and event marketing services. Works with clients ranging from single conference support to full concept-to-completion organization of multiple annual events across Europe.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

EMS is a B2B event management agency that delivers end-to-end conference, exhibition, seminar, corporate event, and awards ceremony services. Operating as a seamless extension of client organizations, EMS covers the full event lifecycle including strategy, programme and speaker management, sponsor and exhibit coordination, attendee registration, budgeting, venue and supplier sourcing, accommodation and travel, virtual and hybrid event production, and international event delivery across Europe, APAC, North America, and Africa.

Product overview

Event Management Services (EMS) is a B2B event management agency that provides comprehensive conference management and event marketing services. The company offers a unified suite of professional services encompassing the entire event lifecycle, from strategy and planning through to execution and post-event analysis. Services include programme and speaker management, virtual event coordination, marketing and delegate sales, sponsor and exhibit management, attendee registration, budgeting and reporting, venue and supplier sourcing, accommodation and travel coordination, and international event production. The company operates as a service provider rather than a software product platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Event Strategy and Planning Strategic planning service that works with clients to understand event objectives and develop a project plan that delivers on goals such as increased profit, higher attendance, or distinctive delegate experience. Intended for organizations running B2B conferences, exhibitions, seminars, and corporate events.
• Programme Development and Speaker Management Service that crafts conference programme content for optimal audience engagement and secures speakers aligned with audience expectations. Designed for professional services organizations and research houses that need content-rich B2B conference programmes.
• Sponsor and Exhibit Management Coordination service that supports exhibitors and sponsors to maximize revenue from sponsor relationships, often the largest revenue stream for events. Intended for conference organizers seeking to optimize sponsor and exhibitor satisfaction and ROI.
• Attendee Registration Registration management service using secure registration systems with dedicated staff for setup and processing. Suited to events with large delegate volumes (e.g., 10,000+ GP training delegates annually).
• Budgeting and Reporting Rigorous budgeting and cost management support for events that either generate revenue or represent significant expense items in client budgets, with reporting on event financial outcomes.
• Venue and Supplier Sourcing Complimentary venue finding service and preferred supplier coordination designed to save clients time and negotiate best rates with venues and event suppliers.
• Accommodation and Travel Service that negotiates accommodation rates and creates reservation processes for smooth event logistics, supporting international delegate travel and stays.
• Virtual Event Coordination Coordination service for fully virtual or hybrid events, guiding clients to create optimal online event experiences. Includes platform guidance, speaker support, and attendee engagement for online/hybrid formats.
• International Event Production Global event management and production service including venue selection, audio/visual design, on-site coordination, and post-event analysis, delivered through DMC partner networks to create culturally relevant international event experiences.
• Marketing and Delegate Sales Event marketing and delegate sales service that promotes events and drives attendance through targeted campaigns, audience development, and delegate acquisition for B2B conferences and exhibitions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Events hosted in 70+ countries with thousands of international delegates
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• beamminorOthersEMS is a proud member of beam, a leading association promoting the industry of business events, accommodation and meetings. EMS adheres to beam's Code of Practice and Terms of Ethics.
• Destination Management Companies (DMCs)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerClose collaborations with international event suppliers covering accommodation, travel, private dinners, local entertainment. DMC partners help engage community groups and support local networks for diverse international audiences.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Banks Sadler: UK-based B2B event management agency offering conference, meetings, and event production services. Closely comparable to EMS in geography, business model, and target client base within professional services.
• Top Banana: UK-based event management agency specializing in corporate events, conferences, and incentive programmes. Comparable boutique agency model serving similar enterprise clients in EMEA.
• Smyle: UK-based creative event agency producing conferences, awards ceremonies, and corporate experiences. Comparable full-service B2B event management model with overlapping geographic footprint.
• DRP Group: UK-based integrated events and communications agency offering conferences, exhibitions, and corporate event production. Similar agency model with B2B focus and overlapping service offerings to EMS.

Broad incumbents

• Mosaic Events: Global event management and experiential agency serving enterprise clients with multi-market event portfolios. Operates the same B2B conference/event management model as EMS but at greater international scale.
• MCI Group: Global association meetings, events, and experiential marketing agency. Overlaps with EMS in professional services and association event management, but at significantly larger scale across more geographies.
• BCD Meetings & Events: Large global corporate meetings and events management agency. Competes with EMS for enterprise event mandates but operates at much greater scale with broader corporate event portfolio.
• Freeman: Largest global brand experience and event agency with end-to-end event production capabilities. Addresses the same enterprise event market as EMS but at massive scale and with broader service breadth.

Emerging players

• Cvent: Event management software platform offering registration, venue sourcing, and event marketing tools. Increasingly competes with traditional agencies like EMS by enabling enterprises to run events in-house with technology.
• Bizzabo: Event experience platform with registration, agenda, and engagement tools for B2B conferences. Represents the technology-enabled competitive threat to traditional agencies like EMS for enterprise event delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EMS_EventMgt
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/events-management-services-ltd-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EMS