ST JAMES’S PLACE

Introduction

St. James’s Place (SJP) is one of the UK’s leading wealth-management companies, supporting clients through long-term financial planning. For the events team, bringing this mission to life means creating experiences that do more than inform - they educate, connect, and inspire a nationwide network of advisers and partners.

“Events are a core part of our engagement strategy,” explains Rebecca Garrity, Events Operations Manager at St. James’s Place. “They’re how we communicate our business strategy, deliver development opportunities, and keep our partnership community connected.”
 

When the team introduced Partnership Connect - a brand-new flagship event series - the ambition was clear: to bring thousands of advisers, business owners, and support staff together across the UK to learn, share, and grow. But with five events scheduled in just over two weeks, efficiency and consistency would be key.

From spreadsheets to a seamless system

Before Cvent, event delivery at SJP relied heavily on manual processes. Registrations were tracked through Microsoft Forms, attendee lists sat in sprawling Excel files, and badge printing was an evening-before marathon.

“Everything was so manual before Cvent,” Rebecca recalls. “We didn’t know who was coming or what their requirements were. Bringing everything into one place has been a complete game-changer.”

Adopting Cvent’s full ecosystem allowed the team to transform how they worked. Registration, check-in, communications, and session tracking all flowed through a single connected platform.

With print-on-demand badges and RFID tracking, check-in became effortless. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a contactless technology embedded into event badges that automatically tracks attendee movement between sessions - allowing organisers to monitor participation and capture CPD attendance in real time, without manual scanning or paper lists.

Creating a connected experience

With Cvent handling logistics, the SJP team could focus on engagement. Each of the five Partnership Connect events featured keynote sessions, breakout learning, and peer networking - all supported by Cvent’s Attendee Hub mobile app.

Delegates could plan their schedules, swap sessions on the day, and message peers - with an impressive 95% mobile adoption rate, a first for SJP.

“I’m a bit of a tech geek,” Rebecca laughs. “Seeing everyone scanning QR codes, choosing sessions, and chatting in the app was amazing. For many, it was their first time using event tech like this, and they loved it.”

The team even introduced a new concept: silent-disco headsets for concurrent learning sessions. Delegates simply switched channels to join different talks - including SJP CEO, who joined in enthusiastically.

“Seeing our CEO flick between sessions with his headset and delegates taking selfies on LinkedIn -that was a special moment.”

Data-driven insights and measurable impact

Behind the scenes, data captured through Cvent gave SJP a new level of visibility. Attendance tracking revealed which sessions drew the biggest crowds, while feedback surveys identified content preferences by role - insights the team will use to shape future programmes.

Out of more than 2,600 registrants, 2,465 attended in person, an exceptional turnout for a face-to-face series. Every attendee’s CPD activity was captured automatically – 100% of CPD attendees were captured via RFID automatically, completely eliminating manual tracking.

The team now has the confidence - and the data - to refine and expand the programme year after year.

Looking ahead

The success of Partnership Connect has inspired SJP to build on this momentum. With deeper insights, stronger engagement, and a scalable event model, the events team is planning to integrate Cvent even further into its portfolio.

“Cvent has helped us elevate everything we do,” Rebecca reflects. “It’s not just about running smoother events; it’s about connecting our community and creating experiences that add real value to their businesses.”