B2B Summit EMEA

Sellers Don’t Trust Marketing, And Buyers Can Tell

Many marketers think sellers don’t make the most of the opportunities they generate. Sellers become skeptical about marketing when they’re bombarded with poor–quality MQLs. Buyers engage with both sales and marketing, they expect an aligned message. Sellers and marketers must trust each other. In this session, you will:

Learn the key factors that drive seller trust.
Identify the barriers to seller trust.
Know how to provide a path to overcome barriers and build trust.

Speakers:
Rick Bradberry, Principal Analyst, Forrester

Panel Discussion: How Can B2B Leaders Thrive Through Volatility?

As European and global markets face continued volatility and uncertainty while AI disrupts and distracts in equal measure, B2B organizations are forced to constantly adapt to a new normal of constant change. Hear from a panel of peers on how their organizations are adapting to constant change and still driving growth. In this panel, we’ll discuss:

How external volatility is impacting B2B leaders and their teams.
How to respond to the pressures placed on budgets, resourcing, and initiatives.
How to adjust your go-to-market tactics and strategy to continue to thrive.

Speakers:
Daryl Wright, Principal Analyst, Forrester
Valérie Thomassin, Chief Marketing, Communications and Engagement Officer, Cegid
Dave Boyce, Executive Chairman, Winning by Design

Revenue Growth Reimagined: Cross-functional Innovation In Action

Transforming and optimizing the core revenue processes is a tall challenge without strong cross-functional collaboration. To reimagine revenue processes – because we know this drives business growth – every buyer- and customer-facing function must be aligned with a single goal – delivering value. This is not your average cross-functional council. They represent the “coaches” in your transformation efforts. A revenue-focused council is designed to identify where the revenue process slows, stops, or is broken based on their deep knowledge of the buyer, business, and business process. The council is tasked with finding amenable cross-functional solutions at an acceptable pace and without excuses. Attendees will learn:

Why an “expansion” team is required to reimagine revenue growth.
How the revenue council “coaching board” brings value to this effort.
Why performance insights must drive a reimagined revenue process strategy and game-time changes.

Speakers:
Naomi Marr, Principal Analyst, Forrester

Holiday Hell and the Future of Agentic AI in B2B

AI agents are a rapidly developing technology, and “agentic” is already part of many business conversations. But what exactly are AI agents, and what sets them apart from other AI? In this session, you will learn:

Learn what AI agents are and what use cases they support.
Understand the state of AI agent development today.
Know how to prepare for an AI agent future.

Speakers:
Jessie Johnson, Principal Analyst, Forrester
Anthony McPartlin, Principal Analyst, Forrester

12:45 pm – 1:15 pm BST

Case Study Sessions

Join case study sessions to hear real-world stories, solutions and insights leveraging the best in today’s product, marketing, sales, and customer engagement technologies and services.

Cvent: Driving Revenue: Rethinking How We Measure Marketing

Marketers are under pressure to prove they’re driving revenue, not just leads. This session explores how leading marketing teams are aligning with Sales, speaking the language of their business, and taking a commercial approach to pipeline growth. We’ll dig into what it takes to move beyond surface-level metrics, how to win internal buy-in, and where brand investment, including events, fits into a broader revenue-driven strategy. Expect honest conversations about what’s working, what’s not and the metrics that really matter to leadership.

Speakers:
Laurence Ewen, Demand Generation Manager, Cvent

Informa TechTarget Case Study

1:15 pm – 2:15 pm BST

Lunch & Marketplace Break

Enjoy lunch while networking in the Marketplace. Learn about innovative products and gain a deeper understanding of industry trends by attending any of the spotlight sessions, located in the Marketplace.

1:25 pm – 2:15 pm - LeanData Lunch & Learn: Making the Case for Buying Groups: BMC’s Path to Alignment and Action

Discover how BMC made the case for Buying Groups by turning early momentum into cross-functional alignment. This session will walk through the strategy, structure, and storytelling used to secure buy-in across sales and operations. Key takeaways include: – How sales and marketing partnered to lay the foundation for Buying Groups success – Budget and tech stack must-haves – Change management tactics that drove adoption

Speakers:
Jim Bell, CMO, LeanData
Beth Redpath Katz, Senior Director, Global Demand Strategy, BMC

1:15 pm – 2:15 pm BST

Executive Leadership Exchange (Invite Only): Exclusive Lunch

Join us for an exclusive lunch featuring energizing content and networking opportunities.

Speakers:
Christina Schmitt, Principal Analyst, Forrester
Dave Boyce, Executive Chairman, Winning by Design

1:40 pm – 2:55 pm BST

Workshops (Pre-Registration Required)

Attend one session:

Make Smart GTM Decisions Using Ideal Data and Information Sources

B2B leaders lack confidence in making GTM strategy decisions because they struggle to gather the necessary data. The three phases of GTM strategy development require the right insights to make smart decisions at each phase. Attendees of this workshop will:

Learn how to apply a standardized GTM strategy process.
Walk away with a legend of the data sources and insights needed for making GTM strategy decisions.
Assess their current state of leveraging data and sources.

Speakers:
Paul Ferron, VP, Research Director, Forrester
Chris Parr, VP, Principal Consultant, Forrester

Scope Your AI Agent Future

AI agents are the next wave of technology and AI advancement, with the potential to take go-to-market strategy to a new level. But before jumping to pilots or vendor selections, companies must first consider the use cases and scope of tasks they’d like AI agents to handle. Join this hands-on session to learn how to:

Identify and prioritize the use cases to focus on first.
Evaluate the data you need and the data you must safeguard.
Establish the metrics that AI agents will improve to build the business case.

Speakers:
Rusty Warner, VP, Principal Analyst, Forrester

2:15 pm – 3:00 pm BST

Breakout Sessions

Is There Trust In Your Buying Network?

B2B buyers have distinct preferences for the information sources they trust, and these more influential sources often significantly impact the purchase decision-making process. In this session, you will:

Review data from Forrester’s Business Trust Survey that shows which sources have the greatest trust with B2B buyers.
Understand how this should drive influencer relations programs, content marketing, and sales.

Speakers:
Karen Tran, Principal Analyst, Forrester

Sales Leadership: It’s Time To Embrace Revenue Process Transformation? Here’s How.

As buying groups expand and become more dynamic and self-directed, sales leaders face growing pressure to evolve their engagement strategies. Revenue process transformation (RPT) offers a path forward — but when it’s seen as a marketing initiative, it can feel misaligned with sales priorities. In reality, RPT is a shared framework that helps sales teams better identify, engage, and convert modern buyers. In this session, you will:

Explore the four most common concerns sales teams have about RPT — and how to turn each into a strategic advantage.
Learn how to collaborate with marketing around a shared, opportunity-centric view of the buyer.
Discover how unified data, clearly defined roles, and joint accountability can help sales teams accelerate pipeline and improve win rates.

Speakers:
Christina Schmitt, Principal Analyst, Forrester

Buying Groups Pilots A Prerequisite For Revenue Process Transformation: A Guide To Getting Started

A revenue process transformation results in improved customer experience and a better view into viable opportunities. A prerequisite for a revenue transformation is sales and marketing’s ability to leverage buying groups to trigger additional accounts signals and expose the opportunities. You will learn:

Why a manual pilot is the best place to start.
The “how-to” steps of getting a buying group pilot up and running.
The areas of the pilot where additional focus is needed to avoid pitfalls.

Speakers:
Naomi Marr, Principal Analyst, Forrester

Anonymous Buyers And Your Data Strategy

Data deprecation has eroded how much data is available for companies to use to shape interactions and drive prospects and customers through the buyer’s journey. Meanwhile, changing buying behaviors and the emergence of AI-powered search are increasing the percentage of prospects that remain anonymous. In this session, you will:

Know what forces are driving the increases in anonymous buyers
Understand how these changes impact selling and engagement.
Learn how to focus efforts at different levels of buyer identification to maximize results.

Speakers:
Brett Kahnke, Principal Analyst, Forrester

2:05 pm – 4:55 pm BST

Immersive Experience (Registration Required): Drive Customer-Obsessed Decisions

Attend one session:

2:05 PM - 2:55 PM | Group 3

3:05 PM - 3:55 PM | Group 4 (Reserved for Executive Leadership Exchange attendees)

4:05 PM - 4:55 PM | Group 5

3:10 pm – 3:40 pm BST

Case Study Sessions

Join case study sessions to hear real-world stories, solutions and insights leveraging the best in today’s product, marketing, sales, and customer engagement technologies and services.

SMARTe Case Study

Canva Case Study

3:40 pm – 4:25 pm BST

Marketplace Break & Networking

Marketplace breaks are your chance to connect with sponsors and catch up with colleagues on the show floor.

3:45 pm – 4:25 pm BST

Analyst-Led Roundtables

Attend one session:

How To Prioritize And Operationalize AI For Marketing

Evaluate the current state of AI implementations.
Prioritize AI investments for B2B marketing use cases.
Operationalize AI with people, process, and measurement.

Speakers:
Rusty Warner, VP, Principal Analyst, Forrester

AI Use-Case Priorities And Success Stories

Which AI use cases are delivering the greatest impact in B2B organizations.
How to mitigate risks while scaling AI initiatives.
Success stories and lessons learned from your peers.

Speakers:
Jessie Johnson, Principal Analyst, Forrester

Is Event ROI A Pipe Dream?

Many organizations rely on “vanity” metrics (visits) to justify event spend. However, in an environment where budgets are flat or down for the majority, demonstrating event ROI is now the top priority for leaders. In this session, you will:

Understand the key event trends impacting on event measurement.
Learn how to use the Forrester Aligned Measurement Process for event goal setting and measurement.
Hear about new ways to better showcase event value.

Speakers:
Conrad Mills, Principal Analyst, Forrester

4:30 pm – 5:00 pm BST

Keynote: Return On Integration Honors

The 2025 B2B Return On Integration Honors showcase C-Level experts in organizations that have achieved strong product, marketing, sales, and customer engagement alignment, and as a result have improved company performance.

Speakers:
Nicky Briggs, VP, Principal Analyst, Forrester

5:00 pm – 5:30 pm BST

Keynote: Fireside Chat: Leading Go-To-Market Strategy In Volatile Environments

As marketers look to adapt to their changing environment, join us for an insightful conversation with Kate Mackie who leads the global marketing team at EY. In this session we’ll discuss Kate’s new book B2B Marketing Fundamentals: Drive Impact Across Brand, Reputation, Relationships, and Revenue and her passion for transforming the narrative around B2B marketing, driving a humanized approach to growth, and thriving through internal and external turbulence.

Speakers:
Kate Mackie, Global Marketing Lead & Partner, EY
Christina Schmitt, Principal Analyst, Forrester

5:35 pm – 6:35 pm BST

Networking Reception

Join us in the Marketplace for a reception full of networking, fun, food and refreshments.

6:30 pm – 8:30 pm BST

Executive Leadership Exchange (Invite-Only): Exclusive Networking Reception At Sky Bar

ELE attendees will be welcomed at the Eighteen Sky Bar for a drink’s reception with breathtaking views of the River Thames and iconic Canary Wharf skyline after dark. Connect with industry leaders and engage in intimate discussions with our analysts.

Wednesday Oct 8

8:30 am – 9:30 am BST

General Breakfast

8:30 am – 9:20 am BST

Forrester Women's Leadership Program: Breakfast Roundtable

Speakers:
Oliwia Berdak, VP, Research Director, Forrester

8:45 am – 9:25 am BST

Analyst-Led Roundtables

Attend one session:

The B2B Leader’s Role In Enabling Revenue Process Transformation

CMOs and their teams play critical roles in revenue process transformation; they are responsible for ensuring that the revenue engine responds adequately to evolving buyer needs at each stage of the opportunity lifecycle — presales, pipeline, and postsale engagement. Join us to discuss how to:

Shift from linear funnels to dynamic, customer-centric journeys in your revenue process transformation.
Optimize the management of the entire opportunity lifecycle, identifying and acting on critical change touchpoints.
Begin this transformation to ensure that it aligns with modern buyer expectations to sustain revenue growth.

Speakers:
Mavis Liew, Executive Partner and Principal Analyst, Forrester

The Impact Of Social Media On The B2B Buyer’s Journey

Social media is a mainstay of B2B marketing programs and has a wide impact across the buyer’s journey. But are you taking advantage of the many nuances across geographies, personas, and age groups that can be optimized to improve performance? In this session, we will discuss:

Who engages with social media and what information do they want from it?
What content and asset types resonate with B2B buyers on social media?
What to consider when optimizing buyer engagement on social media.

Speakers:
Daryl Wright, Principal Analyst, Forrester

Enabling Your Employees To Thrive With AI

Although genAI solutions are becoming commonplace, employees have numerous gaps in their understanding, skills, and inclinations around genAI, and those gaps won’t be filled by an hour in a classroom or online training alone. Join us for an interactive discussion on strategies to build your team’s genAI skills and increase AIQ as well as challenges in upskilling on genAI.

Speakers:
Nicky Briggs, VP, Principal Analyst, Forrester

9:30 am – 9:35 am BST

Welcome Back

Speakers:
Anthony McPartlin, Principal Analyst, Forrester

9:35 am – 10:05 am BST

Keynote: The Dawn Of A New B2B Sales Supercycle

As economic disruptions collide with digitization, AI, and ecosystems, they stress B2B teams in unprecedented ways. Paradoxically, these forces fuel an emerging supercycle — an extended period of growth and transformation. The dynamic decade ahead will reshape go-to-market practices. During this keynote, you will:

Identify the five characteristics of this new sales supercycle
Learn why we must urgently unlearn the past to succeed in the future
Understand the implications and new priorities for B2B teams

Speakers:
Rick Bradberry, Principal Analyst, Forrester

10:10 am – 10:30 am BST

Programme Of The Year Honours

The 2025 B2B Programme Of The Year award recognises outstanding achievements in a particular area in product, marketing, sales, and customer engagement functions based on innovative frameworks and best practices to improve functional performance.

10:35 am – 11:20 am BST

Marketplace Break & Networking

Marketplace breaks are your chance to connect with sponsors and catch up with colleagues on the show floor.

10:40 am – 11:20 am BST

Analyst-Led Roundtables

Attend one session:

Leadership Communication Through Internal And External Volatility

In times of rapid change, B2B leaders face the challenge of maintaining clear, effective communication amidst internal organizational transformation and external market, geopolitical, and technological volatility. To bring stability into this era of uncertainty, leadership communication must promote a climate of confidence and clarity. Join this roundtable with your peers to discuss:

How to use communication to maintain trust with employees, customers, and partners during times of uncertainty.
Communication pitfalls leaders face during volatile periods.
Approaches for transparent and resilient messaging across stakeholder groups.

Speakers:
Karen Tran, Principal Analyst, Forrester

The Verdict On Revenue Operations: Promises Kept Or Opportunities Wasted?

Interpretations and implementation of revenue operations are wildly different across B2B. But at its core, rev ops was designed to break down functional silos, integrate processes, insights, and technology, all while aligning sales and marketing around the buyer. Join this session to discuss:

Has rev ops delivered on its ambitions?
What barriers prevent progress?
Are there alternative operating models to achieve the same goals?

Speakers:
Anthony McPartlin, Principal Analyst, Forrester

AI Use-Case Priorities And Success Stories

Which AI use cases are delivering the greatest impact in B2B organizations.
How to mitigate risks while scaling AI initiatives.
Success stories and lessons learned from your peers.

Speakers:
Jessie Johnson, Principal Analyst, Forrester

10:45 am – 12:00 pm BST

Workshops (Pre-Registration Required)

Blend Responsibilities Across The Opportunity Lifecycle To Boost Value

Many B2B frontline teams operate under the false assumption that they own different moments in the opportunity lifecycle. Instead of reinforcing their internal silos, all sides must recognize their blended influence on buyers at every moment in the buyers’ journey. This session will:

Explain why buyers want alignment.
Discuss a new approach for revenue teams to work together.
Detail ways to implement this new approach.

Speakers:
Naomi Marr, Principal Analyst, Forrester
Rick Bradberry, Principal Analyst, Forrester

10:45 am – 1:35 pm BST

Immersive Experience (Registration Required): Drive Customer-Obsessed Decisions

Attend one session:

10:45 AM - 11:35 AM | Group 6

11:45 PM - 12:35 PM | Group 7

12:45 PM - 1:35 PM | Group 8

11:00 am – 1:00 pm BST

Workshop (Second Offering): AI Hackathon 2.0: From Data to Direction

Be sure to bring your laptop with you to put alignment and reinvention into action! (Pre-Registration Required)

Experiment with GenAI tools and prompts to better understand how to engineer outputs.
Analyze data and extract insights to inform a marketing strategy.
Explore the strengths and limitations of GenAI for tasks such as data analysis, data visualization, and decision support.
Build and present a compelling marketing strategy deck under time constraints.

Speakers:
Nicky Briggs, VP, Principal Analyst, Forrester
Lea Schiller, Research Associate, Forrester

11:20 am – 12:05 pm BST

Breakout Sessions

Balancing AI Advantages With Human Connection And Trust

AI promises to revolutionize the way we do business, but at what cost? As AI becomes a bigger part of B2B go-to-market strategies, businesses must understand and balance AI’s benefits with the challenges it introduces that can erode buyer trust. In this session, you will:

Understanding the unintended consequences of an AI-first approach.
Learn how to integrate AI without compromising the human connection.
Leverage AI to enhance trust, rather than diminish it.

Speakers:
Daryl Wright, Principal Analyst, Forrester

Command Attention: Communicating Performance For Leadership And Teams

B2B leaders are routinely required to present results, but too often feel like they’re not effectively delivering their desired message. In this session, you will learn how to:

Ensure relevance and purpose as you communicate performance.
Align and customize the story to the needs of your audiences.
Use data and numbers to inspire action.

Speakers:
Mavis Liew, Executive Partner and Principal Analyst, Forrester

Build An Event Strategy To Fuel Revenue Process Transformation

When transforming their revenue processes, organizations must better align marketing, sales, and customer success teams around the needs of buyers. Events have a crucial role to play in achieving this; but leaders must build stronger internal alignment, approach event data differently, and reconsider the role of event technology. In this session, you will:

Learn about the challenges currently limiting event impact.
Hear about the three changes leaders must make to their event planning.
Get practical guidance on how to use events to better support buyers and power revenue growth.

Speakers:
Conrad Mills, Principal Analyst, Forrester

The Future Of B2B Messaging: GenAI-Driven Relevance And Efficiency

GenAI revolutionizes B2B interactions with buyers by delivering personalized content, relevant messages, and tailored communications more efficiently. This session covers actionable strategies to leverage genAI for better buyer experiences, increased engagement, and higher revenue. Ideal for marketers, sales professionals, and business leaders eager to uncover AI’s potential. Attendees will learn:

Ways to improve messaging and content with generative AI.
Strategies to reduce organizational risk and build buyer trust.
How to merge AI with human creativity.

Speakers:
Paul Ferron, VP, Research Director, Forrester

12:15 pm – 1:00 pm BST

Breakout Sessions

Panel Discussion: The State Of B2B Buying: Implications And Actions For The Growth Engine

B2B leaders are faced with a new generation of buyers with heightened expectations, technological advancements, and changing market dynamics. This panel will illuminate the needs and frustrations of buyers and how providers must upend outdated go-to-market strategies. Attendees will learn:

How to improve the buyer’s experience and bridge the gap between evolving buyer expectations and current go-to-market practices.
How to better serve buyers by leveraging gen AI and enabling self-service to empower buyers throughout their journey.

Speakers:
Mavis Liew, Executive Partner and Principal Analyst, Forrester
David van Schaick, Chief Marketing Officer, The Marketing Practice

Mine Partner Ecosystem For Hidden Gems And Priceless Insights

With over 60% of B2B revenue flowing indirectly through partners and 67% of B2B organizations forecasting a rise in indirect and partner-influenced revenue, it has become imperative to tap into your partner ecosystem to source priceless market, buyer, and competitive insights. In this session, you will:

Explore why the partner ecosystem is a rich source of untapped insights.
Learn a multifaceted approach to partner insights mining.
Understand how to prioritize and produce precious value from the outset.

Speakers:
Karen Tran, Principal Analyst, Forrester

Palo Alto – A Journey To Revenue Process Transformation

Palo Alto Networks has redefined the way sales and marketing collaborate—driving significant gains in opportunity conversion and pipeline growth. In this session, you’ll get an inside look at how they led this transformation, from launching a successful pilot to scaling a revenue process overhaul through systems and technology. Learn the key strategies, lessons, and best practices that enabled this shift—and discover how aligning go-to-market teams through process and platform change can deliver measurable business impact.

Speakers:
Conrad Mills, Principal Analyst, Forrester