CASE STUDY

Bringing 70+ people together for an aligned future

FCM Meetings and Events’ national conference, known as SOTA, landed in Brisbane. Spread across the InterContinental and Sofitel Brisbane, the event aimed to get everyone on the same page and fired up for the year ahead.

SOTA stands for 'State of the Art'. For FCM Meetings and Events, this phrase serves as a benchmark for how the team operates. It reflects a clear aspiration to deliver the highest standard in the MICE industry. This yearly internal conference kicked off the year to align teams, celebrate wins, and set the direction for the road ahead.

State of the art means delivering something new and innovative that resets the status quo to something better, driven by creativity, optimism, and ambition.

– Delegate feedback.

Key takeaways

A national conference bringing 70+ people together in Brisbane, with FCM Meetings & Events managing every detail from travel and logistics to content, design, and on-the-ground delivery.
Relaxed, non-traditional setups (think couches, open spaces) lifted engagement and got people talking.
Standout moments like the Orchestrate team activity kept energy high and memorable.
Content hit the mark, with keynote and internal sessions boosting confidence, capability, and direction for the year ahead.
87% rated the event very good or above, with connection and collaboration called out as the biggest wins.

attendees

Goals

The primary objective for the 2026 event was to anchor the agenda around the concept of change. The business needed clear alignment across people, culture, and customers to ensure everyone was moving in the same direction.

Achieving this meant creating a high-energy, connected experience that allowed dispersed teams to create long lasting connections. The event team needed to:

Create an environment for inclusivity, open dialogue, and genuine connection.
Bring the company’s 2026 vision and strategy to life in a way that resonates with everyone.
Kick off a new community impact initiative with clear actions for everyone to get behind.
Ensure sponsors get value from their investment through quality time with attendees.

At the same time, there was the practical side ticking away in the background. The group and event travel team needed to handle group flights, early arrivals, trip extensions, specific room setups, and supplier coordination.

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Approach

Pulling off this conference relied on event management, logistics, travel, engaging content, and environments designed for comfort rather than tradition.

Travel & logistics

Getting almost 73 people to the same place, at the same, time required a tight ship. Group flight bookings handled the bulk of the movement, while early arrivals and personal trip extensions were accommodated separately. The FCM Meetings & Events team were onsite to support airport arrivals and hotel departures, ensuring that all transfers ran to schedule.

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Design & event management

The in-house Creative Services team expanded on the previous year's event identity, using palm trees and the Brisbane city skyline to tie the event back to its destination. With this concept, they created all the website and mobile app assets, print materials, sponsor boards, and menus needed to bring the space to life.

Inside the conference spaces, traditional seating and layouts were scrapped, making way for something that would feel relaxed, open, and easy to sink into. The team brought in couches and standing tables, creating a comfortable environment that encouraged laid back conversation.

Content was designed to strike the right balance between inspiration and practicality. Speakers like Rosie Yeo and Milo Wilkinson brought energy and relatability, while sessions from internal presenters kept everyone up to date with what is happening on the ground and translated ideas into tools people could use.

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Team building & sponsor integration

Described as amazing, fun, hilarious, and unexpected, the Orchestrate activity by Be Challenged put 66 instruments in the hands of attendees. This unique (and a little noisy) exercise required different parts of the team to unite as one to create a performance. A little unruly at first, a lot of laughs, and a strong metaphor for how different parts of a team come together. Alongside this, an 18-sponsor showcase used gamification and interactive elements via the mobile app to connect suppliers directly with delegates and give them proper time with the people they support.

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The gala

The gala dinner needed to happen in the same ballroom as the conference, which meant the space needed a complete flip. While delegates were occupied with the team building activities, the events team got to work. The FCM Meetings & Events team swapped conference furniture for cabaret tables, brought in fresh linen and styling, and used clever lighting to shift the mood. Guests walked back in two hours later to a completely different room.

The gala celebrated the people behind the business with a seated dinner and awards. Afterwards, a DJ and a three-piece band kept the dancefloor busy. The theme, a playful take on the "nowhere to wear it" trend, encouraged guests to wear something from their own wardrobe that rarely gets an outing. This supported sustainability, kept costs down, and sparked creativity.

Outcomes

The data confirmed the event hit its objective. The post-event survey revealed:

87% of attendees rated the experience as very good or above
86% said connecting with colleagues was the most valuable part

The content landed exceptionally well, too. Keynote speaker Milo Wilkinson was a massive hit and the Orchestrate activity gave people a chance to step outside their comfort zone and try something different.