Behind the Scenes at COP26 with The New York Times

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It’s very exciting seeing this event featured in our local paper! I suppose that once you start doing very cool things for really famous clients, everyone is going to be a bit more interested, even the media!!

We’ve spent the last two years carefully dissecting articles by and about event professionals on all things COVID-19, now we ARE the event professionals, with an article of our very own!!

New York Times praises Brightspace Events for helping deliver pioneering COP26 event in Glasgow

Greta Thunberg, John Kerry, Nicola Sturgeon and David Lammy were there as speakers, with Leonardo DiCaprio also in attendance.

The New York Times (NYT) has praised Brightspace Events for helping it deliver ‘the most ambitious journalism and event project in its 170-year history.’

Brightspace Events, which has offices in Northampton, was called upon by the global news brand to help deliver its NYT Climate Hub Event at COP26 in Glasgow, which saw 6,000 in-person delegates attend alongside 3,000 remote attendees.

Covering two weeks of live journalism, six different spaces, more than 400 speakers and 150 different sessions, the Northampton-based team at Brightspace helped organise a host of support services, with the company’s delivery drawing praise from senior figures at the NYT.

Stephen Dunbar-Johnson, president of the The New York Times Company, said: “We are very appreciative of the support Brightspace provided on what was always going to be a bold, ambitious endeavour. That it was a success was a big collective effort and Brightspace was a key ingredient in the cocktail.”

This sentiment was echoed by Rona Perry, marketing manager at The New York Times Company, who said: “I was extremely lucky to work with such a wonderful group of true professionals, who, in my opinion, were the true heroes of climate hub.”

Sarah Threlfall, director at Brightspace Events, added: “The event was an enormously complex operation, and with the eyes of the world on Glasgow during COP26, the pressure was on to deliver an experience that appropriately positioned the NYT as a world-leader in thought-provoking content and controversial debate, whilst also underlining its commitment to truth around the climate emergency.

“Despite the challenges, the team rose to the occasion magnificently, doing a fantastic job to meet the New York Times’ objectives by delivering agility, flexibility and quick, clear communication.

“Given the global significance of the NYT brand, to think that our team from Northampton has drawn such high praise from senior figures at the organisation is tremendously rewarding. A huge well done to all involved.”

Read our ‘NYT Climate Hub’ case study here.