A Swiss financial institution regularly organizes exclusive client events in the Middle East to foster long-term relationships and support business growth. Although significant resources are invested into these events each year, little is known about what they actually contribute to client relationships or financial outcomes. While they are an important part of relationship management and marketing strategies, their concrete impact has not yet been assessed. This study addresses that gap by evaluating two specific event formats.

To conduct the analysis, eight qualitative interviews were carried out with internal stakeholders and one client. Two event formats were examined: a personalized multi-day event with one-on-one expert meetings tailored to client interests, and a golf event in Dubai offering a relaxed social experience. Interview data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The study identified value drivers, business outcomes, challenges, and improvement areas. These findings were either linked to existing literature or emerged from the interviews.

The findings show that both events were considered successful but had different purposes. The personalized one-on-one event was valued for the expertise of the specialists, tailored in-person meetings, and its interactive format. These aspects led to increased familiarity with the institution, follow-up discussions, and new investments. The golf event stood out for its relaxed atmosphere, personal connections, and strong networking value, mainly contributing to relationship development, but also supporting prospect conversions and net new money. However, both events faced challenges. The personalized format suffered from scheduling conflicts, coordination difficulties, and unclear measurement of outcomes. The golf event was affected by weather-related logistics, group size issues, but also with outcome measurement difficulties. Key improvement areas include simplifying the nomination process and promoting consistent, meaningful follow-ups across all client events of the company. For the personalized event, more selective use of specialists aligned with client needs is recommended. For the golf event, improvements in timing and communication could enhance the client experience.