Hosting Connect 2026 for Distech Controls at the Hilton London Metropole
I had the pleasure of hosting Connect 2026, the international partner summit for Distech Controls, across two full days at the Hilton London Metropole on Edgware Road. The event brought together system integrators, technology partners, and industry leaders from across EMEA and APAC for two days of keynotes, product panels, peer discussions, breakout sessions, and a Bond-themed gala dinner and awards ceremony.
The theme for the event was License to Disrupt. From the moment the James Bond intro video rolled on day one, the brief was clear: this was not a standard corporate conference. Distech Controls wanted an event that felt bold, purposeful, and genuinely engaging, and the production team had built something that absolutely delivered on that ambition. My job was to make sure the energy matched from the stage.
Two days, one narrative
One of the things I enjoy most about hosting multi-day events is the opportunity to build a through-line. Day one at Connect 2026 was about the briefing, setting context, introducing the theme, and giving delegates the tools and thinking to frame everything that followed. Day two was about application: taking what had been heard and turning it into something actionable. The programme was built around that arc, and it was a genuinely satisfying structure to work with.
The audiences at events like this are expert rooms. System integrators and technology partners from across the globe, people who design, deploy, and support smart building infrastructure at the highest level. They do not need to be entertained as much as they need to be engaged. Getting that balance right, keeping the energy high without overshadowing the content, is the real craft of business conference hosting.
The moments that stood out
Day one closed with a cocktail reception at CE LA VI, one of London's most spectacular rooftop venues, and the transition from the main stage to the evening was one of my favourite moments of the two days. The reveal was built into the script as a Bond mission debrief: mission one complete, mission two begins at the bar. It landed exactly as intended, and the energy walking out of that room into the evening was exactly what a good first day should feel like.
Day two opened with the challenge of bringing that energy back after a late evening, something every conference host knows well. The key is to acknowledge it honestly and warmly without dwelling on it, and to pivot quickly to the purpose of the day. A slow start on day two of a two-day event is one of the easiest things to lose an audience to. We did not lose them.
The gala dinner and awards ceremony on the evening of day two was the natural culmination of everything that had come before. The awards were genuinely earned, recognising partners who had delivered disruption at scale, not just talked about it. Hosting an awards ceremony where the recognition feels real rather than ceremonial is one of the most satisfying things you can do on a stage.
Working with Distech Controls
This was my second consecutive year hosting the Distech Controls summit at the Hilton London Metropole, and the relationship that builds over repeat engagements makes a real difference to the quality of what happens on stage. When the production team and the host have worked together before, the briefings are more efficient, the transitions are smoother, and the whole event runs with a confidence that first-time collaborations rarely achieve.
A huge thank you to Lauren Scott, David Jacques, and Chloe Rigolet-Boulongeot, who were brilliant to work with throughout. Events like Connect 2026 do not come together without an enormous amount of work happening long before anyone takes the stage, and the care and detail that went into every element of this one was evident from the first briefing call to the final award of the evening. A real pleasure working with all three of them.
The feedback from the Distech Controls team reflected the two days perfectly:
"We appreciated working with you, and your support throughout the project was valuable in the overall success of Connect 26."
If you are planning an international partner conference, leadership summit, or awards ceremony and want to discuss how I can help make it exceptional, get in touch at matthew@thestandoutcompany.com or call +44 (0)207 088 8085.