HMG and Maritime UK Investment Reception at LISW25
Creating the right environment for senior diplomatic and commercial engagement.
Overview
Tide supported the delivery of the HMG Investment Reception—a private gathering of senior figures from across the global maritime sector.
Held at London International Shipping Week 2025, it was crucial that the environment felt exclusive and secure without feeling restrictive. For the event to have real impact, we had to prioritise who was in the room and how the space enabled conversation.
Tide took responsibility for the event management, from design and planning to on-the-day delivery. All decisions reflected the event’s security protocols, diplomatic sensitivities, and guest expectations.
Approach
From the outset, the emphasis was on discipline. That meant our work started long before the event began.
We had to build a delivery structure capable of handling complexity quietly and without friction, including:
- Early site visits and detailed venue planning
- Direct coordination with government partners and security teams
- Clear operating frameworks agreed with Maritime UK and partners
Creative decisions were intentionally restrained. Event design reflected both HMG and Maritime UK without drawing undue attention. Co-branding and sponsor material were also handled with care to ensure cohesiveness.
The guest experience was a top priority for the HMG Investment Reception. The attendees included Royal and Cabinet-level guests, international delegations, and senior private-sector leaders—each with different requirements and expectations.
To manage this, we introduced a three-track arrival and movement process supported by VIP logistics and detailed briefings of the wider delivery team. Everyone involved understood what needed to happen and—more importantly—why it mattered.
We took responsibility for full event management on the day. Photography was carefully coordinated, permissions were tightly controlled, and communications were handled. Given the sensitivity of the occasion, all external messaging was deliberately held until after the event.
The Outcome
The reception welcomed approximately 400 invited guests, including 25 country-level customer delegations, 200 C-suite leaders from private industry, and a Royal delegation, underscoring the occasion's significance.
While the event prioritised privacy, post-event communications delivered clear results:
- 379% increase in LinkedIn engagement
- 61% increase in reach
The reception achieved its intended purpose: to create the right conditions for meaningful diplomatic and commercial conversations. The reception supported HMG’s investment priorities while enabling Maritime UK to meet its commercial goals.
The success of the event reflects the value of working with a partner like Tide, who understands how maritime, government, and defence audiences operate, and can deliver accordingly.
"Katie, and more broadly Tide Creative, have been incredibly supportive across numerous events. From planning to execution, Katie's enthusiasm to go the extra mile has resulted in the events being a resounding success. Her understanding of the maritime sector and its landscape has been an invaluable asset, especially during key dates in the calendar such as London International Shipping Week." - Scarlett Black, Director of Operations, Maritime UK.
