Event Overview
The Agency Hackers Super Summit is a two-and-a-half-day, in-person conference bringing together 400 agency leaders from around the world in Ibiza.
Virtual Approval was appointed as the event management and production partner for the 2025 edition – the second year we had been involved in the delivery of the event. Our founder, Rachel Locke, had also attended the Super Summit as a delegate for the previous three years, giving us a unique, audience-first understanding of what made the event special and where it could be elevated further.
By 2025, the Summit had doubled in size year-on-year – growing from 100, to 200, to 400 delegates – and the client’s ambition was clear: make the conference bigger, smoother, more engaging, and more professional, without losing the energy and personality that attendees loved.
The Challenge
The 2025 Super Summit marked a significant step change for the event. Attendance had doubled year-on-year, growing from 100 to 200, and then to 400 delegates, and expectations around production, flow, and sponsor experience had risen accordingly.
The venue had already been selected and offered scale, but it also introduced significant technical and logistical complexity. Without careful intervention, there was a real risk that production limitations could undermine the delegate experience.
As described by the client, Ian Harris, Founder of Agency Hackers:
“Hiring Rachel’s team was probably my best decision of 2024.”
“The day before the conference, I arrived at the venue and everywhere I looked people I’d never met were already busy running cables, driving cranes, fixing projectors. Rachel was walking around calmly orchestrating it all.”
These reflections came after recognising that the venue, while impressive, was not inherently conference-ready at this scale.
Identified Risks (Client Perspective)
Ian Harris, Founder of Agency Hackers, later shared publicly that prior to bringing Virtual Approval on board, several critical gaps had been identified:
- The sound system in the main auditorium was not sufficient for a conference of this size
- Breakout rooms had no existing AV infrastructure
- The main stage required a substantial backdrop to work visually at scale
- Presenters could not simply plug in laptops without a proper control and mixing environment
- The venue required extensive internal and external branding and dressing
- Catering needed to be managed in minute detail to avoid disruption
Unless these issues were addressed early, the event risked becoming operationally unmanageable.
Our Approach
Virtual Approval was brought in to take full ownership of event management and production, ensuring the Summit could scale confidently without compromising quality.
Site Visit & Technical Scoping
- Conducted an early site visit to assess logistics, power, acoustics, access, and flow
- Identified critical gaps in audio, visual, staging, and control infrastructure
- Designed a technical solution fit for a 400-person conference
“Rachel told me I was heading for disaster – and she was right.”
Stage, AV & Technical Production
- Sourced and managed all audio-visual equipment for:
- Main stage
- Breakout rooms
- Networking areas
- Designed and delivered a fully custom-built stage, including a wooden backdrop to suit the scale of the room
- Managed the control room and installed addiotnal equipment with mixing desks and professional signal flow
- Designed and programmed event lighting to elevate atmosphere and energy
- Built a blended technical team, with Spanish crew for local delivery and UK-based specialists for production management and supervision
“The standard venue provided sound system in the theatre wasn’t good enough. The breakout rooms had no AV. All of that needed to be brought in – Rachel took care of it all!”
Space Design, Branding & Environment
- Full venue dressing across internal and external spaces
- Sourced and managed:
- Branded banners and pop-ups
- Printed signage and way finding
- Stage furniture and speaker sofas
- Giant plants, inflatables, beach balls, and branded flamingos
- Outdoor branding for food and networking areas
The result was a venue that felt intentional, immersive, and unmistakably Agency Hackers.
Speaker, Sponsor & Content Management
- Managed all speaker communications and content submissions
- Coordinated sponsor requirements and ensured meaningful audience interaction
- Designed sponsor areas to integrate naturally into the delegate journey
Catering & Delegate Experience
- Worked closely with the venue to manage catering in detail
- Ensured smooth transitions between content, networking, and social moments
- Managed delegate communications so attendees always knew where to be and when
“The catering needed to be managed in minute detail – and it was.”
Off-Site Events & Logistics
- Sourced and produced a welcome drinks event at a separate venue
- Venue sourcing
- Space dressing
- AV for welcome speeches and live music
- Managed a large-scale after-party at a second off-site location
On-Site Delivery & Live Orchestration
- Oversaw full on-site build, rehearsals, and live delivery
- Coordinated multiple suppliers, crews, and schedules
- Provided calm, visible leadership throughout the event
“The day before the conference I arrived and everywhere I looked people were already running cables, driving cranes, fixing projectors. Rachel was walking around calmly orchestrating it all.”
The Result
The 2025 Agency Hackers Super Summit ran smoothly, confidently, and at a significantly higher production level than previous years – despite doubling in size.
Delegates experienced a polished, energetic event. Speakers felt supported. Sponsors had space to connect meaningfully with attendees. And the client was able to focus on content and community, knowing production was in safe hands.
“Hiring Rachel’s team was probably my best decision of 2024.”
“Rachel and her team are amazing. Her professionalism really made the conference this year.”
Why It Worked
This project succeeded because Virtual Approval combined:
- First-hand audience insight
- Deep production and technical expertise
- Strong supplier management across countries
- Calm, decisive leadership on site
By taking full ownership of complexity, we enabled the Agency Hackers team to deliver their biggest and best Super Summit yet.
