There is no standard COO

Insights from AEO's inaugural Chief Operating Officer Lunch, sponsored by Excel London

One of the strengths of AEO is bringing together people who are tackling similar challenges. That's why we were happy to host AEO's inaugural Chief Operating Officer Lunch - the first gathering of its kind dedicated to people in the COO role. It may be the least standardised title in the leadership team, which is exactly why we created a space for those who hold it. The conversation was insightful:

No two routes in

The first thing that struck me came before the starters. As we went around the table, it became clear that no two people had taken the same route into the role. Marketing, finance, sales, technology, editorial and operations were all represented. Some had pursued the job deliberately. Others had accumulated responsibility as their businesses grew, until someone eventually put a title on it. A few had effectively written the role themselves because their old job description had stopped resembling their actual week years earlier.

That last group is telling. In many event businesses, the COO role simply emerged. A role that absorbs whatever the organisational chart can't neatly place.

A reflection of how the industry has grown

Look across the table and the same title covered operational delivery, technology, HR, marketing, transformation, acquisitions, data, AI and commercial leadership - often several at once.

Over the past decade, event businesses have grown, entered new markets, acquired companies and taken on wave after wave of new technology. Leadership teams have adapted in step, and the COO role has expanded to do the connective work: bridging departments, joining strategy to delivery, and making sure growth doesn't come at the expense of consistency. The role is broad because the job of holding a modern events business together is broad.

Growth continues long after the deal is signed

That was abundantly clear in the conversation about acquisitions. Several attendees lead businesses that have grown substantially by buying others, and on this the table was unanimous: the deal is the easy part. Integrating people, processes, systems and culture demands just as much attention as the transaction itself - usually for far longer - and it is where the long-term value is actually won or lost.

It is also, almost by default, work that lands on the COO's desk. Announcing an acquisition takes a day. Making it true can take years.

AI comes with organisational challenges

AI came up throughout the lunch, though not in the way you might expect. The discussion focused on everything that has to be in place before AI can make a meaningful difference: good data, connected systems, clear governance, and - hardest of all - helping people adopt new ways of working.

I've heard versions of this across AEO events all year, but it carried extra weight coming from a room of operators. These are the people who have to make it real, and their feeling was pretty consistent about organisational readiness being the most essential challenge to address.

The CEO question

The discussion I found most interesting centred on the relationship between CEO and COO. Every organisation around the table had settled its own division of labour. In some, the CEO faces outward - growth, markets and relationships - while the COO runs the machine. In others, the split follows individual strengths rather than any textbook.

Nobody argued for one model over another, and I think that's right. Every successful partnership around the table looked slightly different. The common thread was clear ownership, mutual trust and an understanding of where each person added the most value. Those foundations gave people the confidence to complement one another rather than cover the same ground.

The value of comparing notes

My biggest takeaway from the afternoon was how valuable it is to bring COOs together. The title may mean something different in every business, but the challenges - integration, transformation and bridging the gap between strategy and delivery - are remarkably similar. The conversation showed just how much people gain from comparing experiences with peers facing the same pressures.

My thanks to everyone who contributed so openly, and to Excel London for sponsoring our inaugural COO Lunch. Judging by the enthusiasm around the table, it won't be the last.