TFI Lodestar

What TFI Lodestar does

TFI Lodestar is a London-based creative live event agency delivering end-to-end event services for professional and academic associations, automotive and mobility OEMs, and healthcare bodies. Founded in 1984 and re-launched under the TFI Lodestar brand in 2021 through a merger of previously separate divisions, the firm operates as an integrated agency with five service pillars: Professional Conference Organiser (PCO) services, Live Events and Experiences, Creative Production, Digital and Event Technology, and Content Creation. Headcount is in the 11-50 range with approximately 20+ named staff including a Managing Director, co-founder Jason Worsley, CFO, Heads of Production and Strategy, and dedicated account, project and partnerships directors.

The business monetises exclusively through bespoke professional-services engagements across these pillars - PCO retainers covering strategy, registration, sponsor and exhibition sales, programme management and technical production; full-scale creative live event delivery; and an in-house digital technology stack that includes turnkey virtual/hybrid production, custom website and event app builds, social media activation, analytics, and AI integrations. The proprietary CORA™ toolset underpins a stated commitment to accredited carbon net zero by 2030. Pricing is custom quote-based with no publicly disclosed rates, consistent with the bespoke nature of large-scale conferences and product launches.

The go-to-market is sales-led B2B, primarily targeting enterprise clients and large international associations. Distribution is driven through direct enterprise relationships, accredited referrals via ABPCO and IAPCO membership, and participation in trade venues such as The Meetings Show. Notable named clients include BMW, Nissan, Stellantis brands (Jeep, Fiat, Abarth, Alfa Romeo), INEOS Automotive, GSK, Philips, IEEE, Imperial College London, the British Society of Gastroenterology and the European Orthodontic Society. Geographic activity spans the UK and EMEA including Cape Town, Seville, Vienna, Geneva, Manchester and Dublin, though the company remains UK-headquartered with no parent group or external institutional investors disclosed.

Name

TFI Lodestar

Legal name

TFI Lodestar Ltd.

Website

https://tfilodestar.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

TFI Lodestar is a London-based creative live event agency delivering PCO, live events, creative production, digital/event technology, and content services to professional associations, automotive OEMs, and healthcare organisations across the UK and EMEA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Management Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Onsite Operations & Event Staffing Management (THAHACAL)

Keywords

• Professional conference organising
• Live event management
• Creative event production
• Virtual event technology
• Association conference services

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Professional Conference Organiser (PCO) Services: Full-service conference organization including strategy, bid management, financial management, sponsor generation, exhibition sales, registration, delegate management, programme management, and technical production for professional and academic associations
2. Live Events & Experiences: Creative event agency services including strategic planning, emotional mapping, engagement design, venue management, logistics, and full creative production for corporate communications
3. Creative Production: Award-winning production team delivering concept design, content production, 2D/3D design, creative technical production, speaker and entertainment management for conferences, congresses, and product launches
4. Digital & Event Technology: Virtual/hybrid event production, platform management, custom website/app development, social media activation, analytics, and AI solutions
5. Content Creation & Development: Moving image/videography, corporate video, scripting, storyboarding, motion graphics, presentation graphics, speaker coaching, and presentation training

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

TFI Lodestar is a London-based creative live events agency that delivers end-to-end event management, professional conference organisation, and creative production for associations, automotive brands, and corporate clients. Its core service spans five pillars: Professional Conference Organiser (PCO), Live Events & Experiences, Creative Production, Digital & Event Technology (including virtual/hybrid platforms and custom apps), and Content Creation & Development. The agency combines 40 years of operational heritage with in-house strategy, production, digital, and content capabilities to deliver bespoke in-person, hybrid, and virtual events for enterprise customers worldwide.

Product overview

TFI Lodestar is a London-based creative live events agency operating as an integrated service provider rather than a software platform. The company offers five interconnected service pillars: Professional Conference Organiser (PCO) services for associations and academic bodies, Live Events & Experiences for corporate communications, Creative Production for concept-to-execution event delivery, Digital & Event Technology encompassing virtual/hybrid events and custom apps, and Content Creation covering videography, motion graphics, and presentation production. These services work together to deliver end-to-end event solutions, from strategic planning and registration management through to creative production, digital delivery, and content development. The company has 40 years of experience and serves clients across automotive, pharma, associations, and other market sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Professional Conference Organiser (PCO) Fully accredited London-based Professional Conference Organiser service offering comprehensive conference and association management including strategy, bid management, financial management, sponsor generation, exhibition sales, registration, delegate management, and programme management. Designed for professional and academic associations, medical societies, scientific bodies, and international trade associations requiring specialist PCO expertise.
• Live Events & Experiences Creative event agency service specialising in live corporate communications, applying in-house skills for strategic planning, venue management, content development, and creative production to create immersive audience experiences. Targeted at corporate clients, automotive brands, and associations that need end-to-end live event delivery.
• Creative Production Award-winning in-house production service offering turnkey creative event production, concept design, content production, 2D/3D design, and creative technical production for corporate events ranging from large-scale conferences to regional press events and product launches. Designed for corporate brands, automotive OEMs, and associations needing broadcast-quality creative output.
• Digital & Event Technology In-house digital and event technology service including turnkey virtual event production, virtual/hybrid platform management, virtual and green-screen studios, custom website design and build, bespoke event apps, social media activation, and AI integration for audience engagement. Designed for clients requiring virtual, hybrid, or technology-enabled physical events.
• Content Creation & Development In-house content creation service covering moving image and videography, corporate video production, scripting, storyboarding, green screen, virtual studio capture, motion graphics, presentation graphics, and speaker coaching. Designed for corporate brands, associations, and event clients that need pre-event, on-event, and post-event video and motion content assets.

Quantifiable outcome

• BSG LIVE'25 won Association Event of the Year at CN Agency Awards
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers31 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and supporting.

• Coventry University School of ManagementflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 June 2025Long-term collaboration established in memory of co-founder Phil Watton (1962-2024). TFI Lodestar joined with Coventry University's School of Management to create educational and professional development opportunities, honoring Phil's legacy as an alumnus.
• ABPCO (Association of British Professional Conference Organisers)coreOthersMember of ABP CO professional body representing professional conference organisers in the UK. Participates in ABP CO events including Festival of Learning.
• IAPCO (International Association of Professional Congress Organisers)coreOthersMember of IAPCO, the international body for professional congress organisers, demonstrating international standards and credibility.
• EVCOMsupportingOthersMember of EVCOM, the Events and Visual Communication association, supporting industry standards and professional development.
• Heart of the CitysupportingOthersPartnered with Heart of the City, a charity helping businesses give back to their communities through structured programmes.
• Power of EventssupportingOthersSupporter of Power of Events, an organization inspiring the next generation of event professionals through school engagement programmes.
• Olympia London / ICC OlympiasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Olympia Events for The Meetings Show, with TFI Lodestar's MD participating in panel discussions on event legacy.
• London CVB (Convention Bureau)supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnered with London CVB's Associations team for networking events celebrating London as an events destination, hosting dinners and activities for industry professionals.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Conference Care: UK PCO specialist serving professional associations and academic bodies, closely comparable to TFI Lodestar's association-focused service line.
• MCI Group: Global association management, events, and PCO powerhouse. Directly comparable to TFI Lodestar's association congress and corporate event services, though at substantially greater scale and geographic reach.
• Banks Sadler: UK-based corporate event and conference agency with overlapping PCO, live event, and production services. Most direct UK competitor in the mid-market events space.
• Ashfield Meetings & Events: Healthcare-focused events and communications agency. Comparable to TFI Lodestar's Health & Wellbeing vertical work with medical societies and pharma clients.
• DRPG: UK-headquartered integrated creative communications group with strong live event, production, and digital capabilities serving associations and corporates across similar verticals.
• Smyle: UK creative live events agency delivering corporate communications, brand experiences, and digital event production, overlapping with TFI Lodestar's live events and creative production pillars.
• Taylor Bennett (Brands2Life): UK PCO and corporate event agency serving professional bodies and corporates. Closely comparable in PCO accreditation and association client base to TFI Lodestar.

Broad incumbents

• George P. Johnson Experience Marketing: Global experiential marketing agency working with major enterprise brands on launches, conferences, and brand experiences. Comparable offerings but at much larger scale and global footprint.
• Freeman: World's largest brand experience company with end-to-end event production, digital, and content services. Overlaps with TFI Lodestar's integrated offering but operates globally with thousands of staff.

Emerging players

• Opus Agency: US-based creative event and experiential agency serving enterprise technology and association clients. Comparable integrated event services and brand-experience focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tfilodestar
• Instagraminstagram.com/tfilodestar
• Xx.com/tfilodestar

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 TFI Lodestar