Credit Strategy enters a new era of digital broadcasting with the Credit Festival
Credit Strategy is today launching the Credit Festival, a month-long series of digital broadcasts featuring conferences, awards presentations and webinars.
As Credit Strategy has pivoted to become a digital broadcaster, the Credit Festival, sponsored by Experian, heralds the most ambitious, elaborate undertaking the company has taken in its 21-year history.
Running from November 3 to November 27, the festival will feature all our previously postponed conferences and awards programmes, as well as events already scheduled for Q3 and Q4, which will now be held as live digital broadcasts.
The Credit Festival will feature 13 separate conferences, including more than 80 sessions featuring over 200 speakers, and a combined audience of over 1,000 delegates – a number that’s still growing. Four weeks of events will also feature award programmes for multiple sectors and professions.
The announcement follows our first-ever broadcast event, held at a London TV studio by Credit Strategy’s sister title Reward Strategy. The Payroll & Reward Conference, for senior professionals in reward and payroll functions, was hosted over two days and was described as "setting the benchmark for online conferences" by our conference partner, The Payroll Centre.
Credit Strategy is now adopting the same format for other events this year, which will be broadcast within themed weeks.
Credit Festival: The structure
These themed weeks, and the events held within them, can be seen below. Each week groups together events where audiences will have similar interests, be able to share similar experiences, and where we can help our membership community network more effectively with their peers.
Credit Week
W/C November 3-6
Postponed from its original dates in March, Credit Week will feature the Credit Summit, also sponsored by Experian, recalibrated as a digital event over four days, as well as the Women in Credit Awards sponsored by Qualco and the Credit Awards sponsored by Experian.
FSE-Week
W/C November 9-13
A series of events for mortgage intermediaries and lenders, FSE-Week is a digital expo with a line-up featuring speakers from Barclays, Virgin Money, Halifax, BM Solutions, Castle Trust Bank, Scottish Widows Bank, Iress and mortgage industry trade bodies.
Lending Week
W/C November 16-20
This will feature the Lending Summit, which again serves the commercial finance, mortgage and alternative lending industries, along with the Lending Awards, plus the Car Finance Conference and Awards.
Vulnerability Awareness Week
W/C Nov 23-27
Our first-ever themed week to promote best practice in supporting vulnerable customers across various sectors, the Vulnerability Awareness Week will feature the Collections & Vulnerability Summit, (also sponsored by Experian), which itself includes the CDSP Conference and the U&T Conference sponsored by Just.
The Vulnerability Awareness Gala, held on 24 November and also sponsored by Experian, features the Collections & Customer Service Awards and the U&T Awards - sponsored by Just.
After searching for months and a tender process, Credit Strategy has chosen a partner to deliver the events as TV broadcasts with a difference – adding the benefits of live interaction with delegates via digital Q&As, as well as a digital networking and matchmaking tool.
This tool will provide a dynamic experience for delegates, enabling them to put questions to speakers, share content with attendees, and visit digital exhibition booths - where they can interact with Credit Strategy’s partners throughout the festival.
Luke Broadhurst, chief executive of Credit Strategy’s parent company Shard Financial Media, said: “I am delighted to announce the launch of the Credit Festival. This will provide access to around 80 hours of content – live and on demand.
“Since lockdown, we’ve shown great patience, worked closely with the venues we use, followed government and WHO guidelines, while also dealing with the specific challenge of effective social distancing.
“With the ‘Rule of 6’ and increased local lockdowns, it’s best for us to make a firm and defined commitment to make all our events digital broadcast events for the remainder of 2020.
“We’ve prepared for a full move to digital for several months now and we recently completed our first broadcast. A mix of pre-recording and live broadcasts ensured the team delivered a first-class experience from our London studio.
“I’ve spoken before about my pride in how our small media business unites large industries and professions. And this is needed more than ever before.
"The festival is the only one of its kind, connecting our members from multiple sectors, while providing insight and rewarding outstanding achievement - in a tough year - through interactive broadcasts with TV production values."
Delegates will be able to attend every event, including all conferences and awards, across the entire Credit Festival for £800 – around 20% of the normal cost of attending one of our face-to-face conferences. To book your tickets, click on our booking page.
Your questions answered:
Q: I’m a sponsor, what happens now?
A: Your account manager would have been in contact with the person who made the booking. If you have any further questions, please speak to:
Louis Bryant
Commercial director
lbryant@shardfinancialmedia.com
Ben Miller
Commercial director
bmiller@shardfinancialmedia.com
Ella Garrick
Senior business development manager
egarrick@shardfinancialmedia.com
Q: I’m a Credit 500 member, which events can I attend?
A: You will receive a complimentary pass for the entirety of the Credit Festival - that’s every conference and awards programme across the month.
Q: I’m a Premium member, how can I attend the events?
A: You will receive 25% off a Credit Festival pass, which gives you access to every event during the festival, for £600 instead of £800. To book, speak to:
Lee Shoesmith
Membership manager
LShoesmith@shardfinancialmedia.com
Q: I have purchased a ticket for one of Credit Strategy’s conferences, what access do I get?
A: Your ticket has been automatically transferred to a Credit Festival pass. You’ll get access to every conference and every awards event during the Credit Festival. For further queries speak to your personal account manager among our team:
James Hunter
Account manager
jhunter@shardfinancialmedia.com
Amanda Walsh
Account manager
awalsh@shardfinancialmedia.com
Sukhi Bhutta
Account manager
sbhutta@shardfinancialmedia.com
Q: I was scheduled to speak at one of the events, is this still the case?
A: If you are a speaker, please contact our conference producer Kitty Wood: kwood@shardfinancialmedia.com
Q: I booked a table at one of your awards, what happens now?
A: As government policy has rendered large gatherings like our awards ceremonies impossible, you will be given a company licence for anyone in your company, with no restrictions on numbers, to view the awards gala presentation.
In a difficult year where staff may have felt isolated from their own organisation and the wider industry, this licence to watch the awards presentation should enable broader inclusivity of the awards programmes.
It will also help to ensure finalists and winners can be recognised for outstanding achievement across a much larger (live) audience, including an unlimited number of their colleagues - such as those at board level at their own employer. For further queries contact your account manager.
More details will be included on all events on a dedicated Credit Festival website coming soon. You can also sign up for our newsletters, (you can opt for a daily alert), for updates to the festival including speaker announcements.
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