‘Lighting Up’ Opening Event

Speakeasy produced seven launch films and the first main launch event for the opening of the £1.35 billion Queensferry Crossing, Scotland’s biggest infrastructure project in a generation.

This was a hugely complex project delivered in a tight schedule (4-5 weeks) on what was still a live construction site. The brief was to create a visual spectacle that would attract international media attention; celebrate the work of the contractors involved and mark the handover to the Scottish Government. 

Speakeasy’s creative involved staging a dramatic night time light show that would be filmed by drones and helicopters and would showcase the bridge at its most striking. This involved installing more than 100 light fittings across the bridge and getting more than 80 crew on and off the bridge at different stages – including specialist lighting and projection mapping teams, audio-visual specialists, camera crew and events teams. With construction work still in its final stages, there were many logistical and health and safety challenges. 

Speakeasy managed the project by liaising closely with the contractors – Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors – as well as Transport Scotland, Police Scotland and bridge managers Amey. To avoid disrupting ongoing construction work, much of our set up was done overnight in the run up to the launch event. Issues that arose include Police Scotland declaring a no-fly zone across the whole bridge area two days before the launch event. To ensure we could still film the launch light show by drone and helicopter, we had to secure additional clearances very quickly. We also had to work around the removal of four cranes on top of the three bridge towers – a job that involved 40 helicopter lifts and was weather dependent. 

On launch night, Speakeasy had eight camera crews at strategic points across the site, as well as two aerial crews.  We delivered seven films in total, including two overnight edits to provide footage for international media syndication. Six of the films were specifically for social media. Our main 1-minute launch film attracted 25,000 views within three days of the launch and supports the #LoveQC social media campaign. Speakeasy was also responsible for hosting the press photocall on launch night. This involved accompanying broadcast and press crews including the BBC, ITV, Sky and Reuters, to key vantage points and maintaining health and safety compliance at all times. We also delivered VIP and ‘VVIP’ launch parties for more than 100 invited guests and dignitaries. This involved working closely with Police Scotland and the First Minister’s protection team.

Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Government appointed Speakeasy to deliver the inaugural Global Offshore Wind Investment Forum, bringing together leading international investors, industry leaders and government representatives. The objective was to create a world-class event experience that would showcase Scotland’s offshore wind ambitions while leaving a lasting impression on delegates from around the globe.

Speakeasy managed all aspects of event delivery, including planning, logistics, delegate management, branding, graphics, staging and AV production. We developed an immersive visual journey throughout the venue using large-scale graphics, digital signage and interactive LED displays, while the main forum featured a striking stage design with twin LED video walls. The programme also included a welcome reception at the National Galleries and a gala dinner hosted by the First Minister at Edinburgh Castle.

With high-profile speakers including Scottish Government ministers, industry leaders and investment experts, the event attracted significant media attention and required detailed stakeholder management. Our team worked closely with ministerial offices, security partners and broadcasters to ensure seamless delivery, comprehensive contingency planning and a first-class delegate experience. The event was widely praised by organisers and attendees alike, with feedback highlighting the professionalism, flexibility and expertise of the Speakeasy team throughout.

I just wanted to record my most sincere thanks to you both and your teams for helping to deliver GOSWIF. Feedback has been hugely positive and confirms that all the hard work and effort was worth it!

On a personal level, I also want to say that I have undertaken many events and managed many contractors in the past and working with you all stands out amongst them all!   Your calm, obliging nature and professionalism throughout this process has been amazing.   There have been so many challenges, and you not only met them but exceeded all the expectations! THANK YOU.

As Professional Conference Organiser for the World Congress of Soil Science, Speakeasy worked in partnership with the International Union of Soil Science (IUSS) and the British Society of Soil Science (BSSS) to deliver one of the world’s leading scientific congresses at the SEC Glasgow. Planned throughout the challenges of the pandemic, the event was successfully adapted into a hybrid format, ensuring global accessibility and enabling participation from the international soil science community.

Speakeasy provided full project management, secretariat services and end-to-end event delivery, supporting nearly 1,700 delegates and 500 speakers. Across six days, the congress featured 68 sessions, 947 hybrid poster presentations, 37 exhibitors, 32 satellite meetings and 12 fringe events, all supported by our conference app, virtual platform and hybrid event expertise. Alongside the scientific programme, delegates enjoyed a welcome reception, gala dinner and a series of post-congress tours.

The congress delivered strong commercial and sustainability outcomes, generating £230,000 in sponsorship and exhibition income and achieving £154,000 profit on a £1 million budget—more than three times the original target. The surplus enabled the creation of a bursary fund to support future attendance from lower-income economies. Delivered as a paperless event with a strong focus on reducing waste and reusing materials, the congress received multiple sustainability awards and was praised by organisers for the professionalism, commitment and collaborative approach of the Speakeasy team.

Speakeasy partnered with the Scottish Government to deliver its flagship In the Service of Scotland staff engagement event, designed to bring colleagues together around a new organisational vision. The event aimed to inspire, inform and connect staff across the organisation, helping them understand their role in delivering ministerial priorities while creating opportunities to share ideas, learn from one another and feel part of a wider Scottish Government community.

For the event, Speakeasy designed and delivered a three-day virtual experience featuring a festival-style programme of live and pre-recorded content, interactive workshops, wellbeing sessions and networking opportunities. A bespoke event website, registration system and online platform provided delegates with a seamless experience, while a temporary broadcast studio at St Andrew’s House enabled ministers and senior leaders to engage directly with attendees. Following its success, the event evolved the following year into a hybrid format, with live audience hubs in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen connected through a fully integrated digital platform.

The event achieved exceptional levels of engagement, with more than 5,000 session attendances during the virtual programme and a further 1,250 on-demand views in the weeks that followed. Attendance increased further the following year, reaching 8,376 session attendances across the hybrid programme, alongside 1,425 post-event views. By combining engaging content, interactive technology and flexible delivery formats, the event successfully supported the Scottish Government’s organisational objectives and strengthened connections across its workforce.

Public Services Delivery Scotland has worked with Speakeasy for several years to deliver the virtual platform for its annual conference programme, providing healthcare professionals across Scotland with access to high-quality learning, networking and professional development opportunities. The platform needed to support up to 2,000 delegates, multiple concurrent sessions, interactive engagement tools and comprehensive reporting to meet CPD requirements.

Speakeasy provided a fully branded virtual event platform and managed all technical delivery, including live and pre-recorded presentations, speaker support, rehearsals and live event management. Over two days, the conference featured 75 plenary and workshop sessions, more than 200 searchable poster presentations and 25 virtual exhibitor stands. Delegates were able to participate in live polls, moderated Q&A sessions, networking opportunities and one-to-one video meetings through an integrated virtual meeting hub.

The event successfully connected thousands of healthcare professionals in an engaging and accessible online environment. Following the conference, all sessions were professionally edited and made available on demand, extending the value of the content beyond the live event. Detailed analytics covering attendance, engagement, exhibitor interactions, poster views and CPD tracking provided NES with valuable insights and demonstrated the effectiveness of the conference in supporting learning and knowledge sharing across the healthcare sector.

Speakeasy has partnered with the Supplier Development Programme (SDP) for many years to deliver Meet the Buyer, Scotland’s largest public procurement event. Bringing together thousands of delegates, exhibitors, buyers and public sector organisations, the event provides a platform for businesses to connect with procurement opportunities, build relationships and gain valuable industry insights.

Delivering an event of this scale requires careful coordination across multiple stakeholders, extensive exhibitor management and a seamless delegate experience. Acting as an extension of the SDP team, Speakeasy provides end-to-end event management, combining our expertise in events, exhibitions, technology and film production to deliver a fully integrated solution.

Our role begins long before event day, managing exhibitor onboarding, event communications and the creation of key event resources including exhibitor manuals, accessibility information, speaker guidance and delegate communications. To streamline the exhibitor experience, Speakeasy developed a dedicated exhibitor portal where participants can manage company profiles, upload marketing materials, register staff, generate badges, submit dietary requirements and order additional services such as graphics, furniture and audiovisual equipment. Information submitted through the portal automatically populates the event app, reducing administration and ensuring delegates always have access to the latest exhibitor information.

Working closely with the venue and exhibition contractors, Speakeasy designs the event floorplan and creates dedicated zones that maximise visitor flow and exhibitor visibility. This includes the development of bespoke feature areas such as partner pavilions, networking spaces and presentation theatres. Our in-house design team creates all event branding and signage, ensuring a consistent visual identity across the venue while delivering all print production and installation requirements.

Technology plays a key role in enhancing the attendee experience. Speakeasy provides the registration system, including pre-event badge generation, onsite badge printing and fast-track scanning for delegates arriving with pre-printed badges. The event app serves as a central information hub, featuring the agenda, speaker profiles, exhibitor directory, attendee networking tools and an interactive floorplan that allows visitors to quickly locate exhibitors and key event features. This floorplan is also made available via touchscreen displays throughout the venue to improve navigation and accessibility.

Onsite, Speakeasy manages all audiovisual production for keynote and presentation areas, including live content distribution to screens throughout the venue, wireless headset systems and AI-powered live captioning to improve accessibility. Our film production team records all presentations for post-event use and captures additional content including interviews, delegate reactions and event highlights, creating a library of assets that extends the value of the event long after it has concluded.