Thought Leadership + Relationships = Success

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Challenge

In spring of 2014, Ben was hired to help an American energy technology company to plan and execute a DC thought leader event. The company, which operates in nearly 100 countries and works regularly with utilities and other energy firms, was very interested in leveraging their interest in a key international energy program to engage key Washington audiences (including Administration staff, Congressional leadership, advocacy/NGO leaders and corporate influencers). 

 

Response

Working in concert with the company’s government relations consultant in Washington, Ben took the consultant’s concept of a half-day dialogue and created a full program. The program was focused on an off-the-record dialogue hosted by the company and conducted in a hearing room in the U.S. Capitol complex. Ben drafted the event agenda, created the invitations, conducted the majority of the outreach to secure participants, developed the meeting collateral for the day and briefed the client team on progress along the way. On the day of the event, Ben managed the event on-site. 

 

Result

The program Ben developed was built around a three-part dialogue with rapporteurs (including Ben) moderating each section and a wrap-up conversation moderated by the company’s CEO. Each part of the dialogue addressed a specific element of the central question about the international energy program that the team had developed at the outset. The wrap-up summarized the dialogue outcomes and identified key themes for a final written report (also managed and partially written by Ben and the team) that was delivered to the White House. The event was deemed a huge success by the company CEO and senior staff. Participants included the heads of several relevant U.S. agencies, a U.S. Senator, the leaders of several advocacy/NGO groups and corporate representatives from companies involved in one or more aspects of the international energy program.