15 October, 25: The ICE Annual Benchmarking Report 2025, supported by Cvent, reveals an industry coming into its own, and with businesses and brands once again showing increased support for live event marketing. The report, which will launch at Cvent CONNECT Europe this week shows that corporate event organisers are managing broader roles, delivering more with leaner teams, and winning greater recognition from internal and external stakeholders.
Broader roles, bigger impact
This year’s research shows 61% of organisers identify as both strategist and deliverer, reflecting how corporate event planners are blending creativity, strategic thinking, and delivery under one role. Despite half of teams being five people or fewer, many organisers now deliver more than 60 events annually.
Anita Howard, Founder and CEO of ICE, commented, “Event organisers are continuing to be seen as valued strategic partners, shaping how businesses connect with their most important audiences. What stands out this year is not only the scale of responsibility they are carrying, but how brilliantly they are rising to the challenge. With smaller teams, they are achieving extraordinary outcomes.”
Budgets and ROI gaining traction
Budgets are also shifting, with responsibility shared across event teams (36%), stakeholders (34%) and marketing (31%). Crucially, organisers themselves take the lead on ROI measurement (62%), with 90% tracking registration and 76% measuring satisfaction.
While fewer teams currently measure revenue attribution (31%) or cost per acquisition (19%), ICE believes this represents a major opportunity; the more advanced ROI tracking is adopted, the stronger the case for greater event budgets becomes. Anita added, “We often hear our members say that the more time and resources that can put into measurement, the bigger the budget and events they are able to organise in the future. It’s a virtuous cycle, by evidencing ROI, organisers unlock more resources, and with more resources they are able to deliver more impact.”
Technology adoption: progress under pressure
The report acknowledges that many organisers still rely on spreadsheets (75%) alongside modern event technology platforms but highlights their adaptability under pressure. With 66% now using both CRM and event tech platforms, and nearly half piloting or using AI, organisers are doing more with less and laying the foundations for a more integrated digital future. At the same time, AI adoption is still emerging, with 44% using it moderately and 31% piloting applications, but optimism is high. Two-thirds (66%) believe AI allows them to focus on higher-value work, a sign that professionals see technology as an enabler, not a threat.
Felicia Asiedu, Director of Europe Marketing, Cvent, added, “Corporate event planners are showing tremendous creativity in how they deploy technology to deliver impact, even with tight resources. As events continue to be one of the most effective marketing channels, a key focus now and in the future must be the integration of event tech and marketing systems to enable richer data and deeper ROI. As that happens, event organisers will elevate their influence even further as event-led growth becomes key to corporate organisations around the world.”
The ICE Annual Benchmarking Report captures insights from corporate event planners, with the 2025 edition supported by Cvent. This year’s study features respondents from across sectors including finance, banking, and technology.
Anita concluded, “This year’s benchmarking leaves me feeling really proud of our community. We are seeing more responsibility, more trust, and more recognition for the role of events. Yes, challenges remain in ROI measurement and integration, but the signs are positive and clear. Every year, we see the evidence that when event organisers are given the tools and trust to deliver, they create extraordinary impact. That’s why brands are putting more faith in events than ever before.”
Download your copy of the research here