Published on 15 October 2025, the ICE Annual Benchmarking Report 2025 (supported by Cvent) documents shifts in the corporate events profession. Organisers are increasingly recognised as strategic partners who combine planning and execution, deliver more events with leaner teams, and assume greater responsibility for demonstrating event impact. The report draws on responses from corporate event planners across sectors including finance, banking and technology and was presented during Cvent CONNECT Europe.

Key findings: roles, budgets, measurement and technology

The ICE report shows 61% of organisers identify as both strategist and deliverer, while around half of event teams comprise five people or fewer and many planners now run more than 60 events per year. Budget responsibility is split across event teams (36%), stakeholders (34%) and marketing (31%). Organisers lead on ROI measurement (62%), with 90% tracking registration and 76% measuring satisfaction.

Technology use remains mixed: 75% still rely on spreadsheets alongside modern platforms, 66% use both CRM and event tech, and AI adoption is emerging (44% using it moderately; 31% piloting). ICE Founder Anita Howard and Cvent’s Felicia Asiedu emphasise that stronger measurement and integration of event and marketing systems could unlock larger budgets and elevate the strategic role of events within organisations.