Place & Influence
G8 Summit –
Creative Direction for UK Hosting World Stage
Legacy in Action, Behind the Gathering
Date: 2012 Duration: 18 months preparation, 2 day Summit
Organisation: 10 Downing Street / Cabinet Office / Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Overview
The defining moment that led to The Convening Collective. Before we named it, one of us was Creative Director, shaping visual identity and spatial storytelling; the other, Summit Director, leading strategy and high-level diplomacy to represent the UK on the world stage.
The 2013 G8 Summit, held at Lough Erne in Northern Ireland, brought together the leaders of the world’s major economies in a setting carefully chosen for its symbolism and serenity. Our shared ambition was to deliver a summit that didn’t just function — it resonated. Every visual, material, and movement was designed to project an image of Britain as elegant, assured, the embodiment of soft power.
Focus areas:
Creative Direction & Spatial Storytelling
Branding & Visual Identity
Summit Strategy & Operational Delivery
Delegate Experience & Protocol
Media Narrative & Public Diplomacy
UK Supplier Showcase (“Best of British”)
The Challenge
A Unified Vision — Stylish, Strategic, Symbolic
We approached the G8 Summit as a stage on which Britain’s values and capabilities would be quietly but confidently performed.
On the creative side, we developed a full visual identity for the summit — elegant, timeless, and rooted in the textures and tones of the landscape. Working exclusively with UK makers and suppliers, we curated a spatial and sensory experience that felt both elevated and grounded. Custom furnishings, crafted signage, refined lighting, and natural materials helped express a national story of quality, care, and confidence.
On the strategic side, we led an integrated government operation across multiple departments and agencies — mapping delegate journeys with precision, managing international protocol, press logistics, security coordination, and stakeholder engagement at the highest level. Every interaction, every room, every moment was choreographed to optimise both diplomatic substance and aesthetic coherence.
This was about creating a summit where diplomacy could breathe — where design and operations worked in complete harmony to support conversation, decision-making, and global influence..
The Solution
The 2013 G8 Summit is still considered a masterclass in government convening. It demonstrated what happens when creative direction and strategic delivery are fully aligned — and how soft power can be built not only through policy, but through presence.
Creative Legacy: A benchmark-setting visual identity and spatial experience, still used as a model for UK-hosted summits and high-level events.
Strategic Excellence: Seamless delivery across all platforms — from minute-by-minute logistics to flawless international protocol.
Global Perception: Reinforced Britain’s global image as thoughtful, composed, and creatively confident.
Soft Power Success: Proved that the UK leads not only through diplomacy, but through detail — showcasing British talent, craftsmanship, and character to the world.
The Outcome
This was our moment of shared authorship — the blueprint for The Convening Collective today. We bring the same balance of elegance and rigour to every convening we now lead, whether public or private. Because we know that when it’s done right, a gathering can do more than make decisions — it can define a country’s image on the global stage.