Berkshire Partners’ Sarah Niatoa shares how strategic planning, attendee feedback and data-driven decisions can help meeting professionals demonstrate event value and strengthen executive relationships
Corporate events compete with demanding schedules, shifting business priorities and heightened expectations for meaningful engagement. For meeting professionals working with financial executives, success requires more than delivering a seamless program. It means understanding what attendees need to gain, aligning experiences with organizational goals and demonstrating a clear return on investment.
During a Smart Meetings webinar, Designing on Purpose: How to Infuse Meaning in Event Agendas for Finance Company Incentives, Client and Internal Events, Sarah Niatoa, marketing and communications manager at Berkshire Partners, shared strategies for building trust with leadership, measuring event success and creating experiences that justify attendees’ time.
Start With Business Objectives
Niatoa, who has more than 12 years of private equity experience, emphasized that successful event design begins with a fundamental question: What should attendees take away from the experience?
Whether the goal is helping investors understand company strategy, strengthening executive relationships or connecting employees with organizational priorities, clearly defined objectives should guide planning decisions.
Before developing an agenda or selecting a venue, Niatoa recommends securing agreement on two or three priorities with key stakeholders. This approach also helps planners make more informed budget decisions by distinguishing essential investments from opportunities to simplify.
“Being an essential line item comes from being able to explain what the business gets from the investment into the event,” she says.
Build Trust Through Communication
Establishing credibility with executive leadership requires preparation, clear communication and sound judgment. Niatoa recommends presenting leaders with specific decisions, explaining potential trade-offs and offering a recommendation rather than simply asking for direction.
Understanding departmental priorities is equally important. At Berkshire Partners, Niatoa collaborates with investor relations, investment teams and other stakeholders to align audience selection, content and relationship-building opportunities.
She also advocates for documenting responsibilities and decision-making authority early in the planning process. Establishing who owns each task, who provides input and who makes the final decision can prevent last-minute confusion.
When disagreements arise, Niatoa encourages planners to frame recommendations constructively and use attendee feedback to support their reasoning. Historical data, she notes, can help stakeholders evaluate options more objectively.
Measure What Matters
Attendance figures and satisfaction scores offer only part of the picture. Niatoa evaluates events against operational performance, budget, audience composition and the objectives established during initial planning.
Berkshire Partners’ post-event surveys examine specific elements, including venue selection, speakers, offsite activities, networking opportunities and pre-event communications.
To improve participation, the company began offering attendees their choice of a gift and speaker books at the end of its surveys. The strategy increased participation from approximately 15% to 85% in two years.
“Feedback is a gift, no matter what kind of feedback it is,” Niatoa says.
Artificial intelligence also helps the team analyze historical and current responses, identify recurring preferences and prepare leadership reports. These insights inform decisions about programming, venues and budgets.
The approach has even helped determine when an event should be discontinued. After reviewing declining attendance, engagement and budget constraints, Niatoa recommended retiring the company’s CXO Summit.
Make Time for Connection
Attendee feedback has also prompted Berkshire Partners to rethink its flagship executive conference. Previously compressed into a short schedule, the event now spans two and a half days, allowing more time for networking, speakers and offsite experiences.
Niatoa said attendees consistently identify networking as one of the most valuable components of events. Even modest schedule adjustments, such as adding 20 minutes between sessions, can create opportunities for informal conversations.
The company also incorporates distinctive, destination-specific activities through local destination management company partners. Past experiences have included a behind-the-scenes tour of a working Nashville recording studio and a sausage-making activity in Austin.
Rather than relying exclusively on traditional team-building exercises, these experiences give executives opportunities to connect outside their usual professional responsibilities.
Let Feedback Shape the Future
Niatoa’s approach extends to internal gatherings. In 2026, Berkshire Partners combined its spring all-hands meeting with its annual day of service, connecting a business update and employee panel with community volunteer projects.
The unified format addressed feedback about the time required to attend two separate events while creating a cohesive experience centered on service.
Ultimately, Niatoa encourages planners to treat every event as an opportunity to learn, adapt and demonstrate value.
“We’re asking people to invest their time, and we need to be clear about what they should get back from the events,” she says.
For meeting professionals seeking stronger executive partnerships, that principle offers a practical starting point: Design every agenda around what matters to attendees and the business, then use evidence to determine whether the experience delivered.
