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PCMA’s 20 in Their Twenties program honors exceptional young leaders in the business events industry. Class of 2025 member Priscillia Lau, CX manager at Marina Bay Sands, offers her views on why hybrid and digital event formats are indispensable, and how venues can meet the challenges of creating spaces for the best experience for in-person and remotes attendees.
What role do you think digital or hybrid event formats play in the events industry?
Hybrid and digital event formats have become indispensable to the evolution of the events industry, especially after the pandemic. These formats expand the reach and accessibility of events, breaking geographical barriers and allowing participants to engage from anywhere in the world.
From a venue perspective, hybrid and digital event formats redefine the traditional role of event spaces. Venues are no longer just physical locations — they must now serve as hubs for both on-site and virtual experiences. This evolution brings both opportunities and new responsibilities, shaping how venues are designed, equipped, and marketed. To be a venue of choice for organizers, meeting spaces need to stay up to date with technology infrastructure, such as investing in broadcast-quality AV equipment and dedicated spaces for immersive live streaming or recording experiences. The physical layout of a venue matters — spaces should be designed with optimal camera angles, lighting, and acoustics in mind, ensuring that virtual audiences feel as immersed as those on-site. Venues must work closely with technical teams to provide solutions that enhance the experience for all attendees. This includes offering virtual networking lounges, enabling real-time Q&A sessions, and facilitating audience polling or other interactive features.
Hybrid events also shift the focus to scalability and adaptability. Venues need to cater to varying event sizes, from intimate meetings to large-scale global conferences, with the ability to support simultaneous in-person and virtual components. This requires operational flexibility and the expertise to manage these dual demands effectively.
What do you like most about your job?
I love having the opportunity to bring people together and co-create event experiences where meaningful connections happen. It’s not just about managing logistics; it’s about being the “unseen magician” who transforms ideas into memorable experiences. Every detail — curating food and beverage menus, designing AV set-ups with technical specialists, providing counsel on layouts — contributes to crafting an atmosphere where attendees feel inspired, engaged, and valued.
As an event manager, you become the bridge between dreams and reality, ensuring every participant leaves an event with a sense of purpose and connection. There’s something magical about taking a blank space and turning it into a vibrant hub of energy, where every element from lighting and sound to F&B and décor aligns seamlessly to create impactful moments.
I have learned that this role embodies a commitment to service and creativity. It’s about recognizing that events are not just gatherings, but catalysts for building relationships, exchanging ideas on innovations, and creating lasting impressions. Seeing an event come to life after meticulous planning and dedication is incredibly rewarding and fuels my passion for the craft.
What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve gotten — from someone within or outside the events industry?
“Focus on building relationships, not just networks” — this advice shapes how I approach my career as an events manager. While networking is important, it’s the genuine connections you create that have the most lasting impact. By cultivating trust, being genuinely interested in others and offering support where you can, you build relationships that go beyond mere transactions. These meaningful connections become the pillars of support, collaboration and growth in your career. They open doors, provide opportunities for personal and professional development, and often lead to long-term success.
In the events industry — where collaboration is key — this advice is invaluable. Events are built on teamwork, partnerships, and connections, not just the logistics of pulling an event together. By building solid, meaningful relationships with clients, vendors, colleagues, and industry leaders, you create a foundation for success that goes beyond one-off interactions. These relationships help you learn, grow and navigate challenges because they are based on mutual respect and shared goals. For instance, a vendor you’ve worked with closely on a few projects may go the extra mile to ensure the event runs smoothly, not because they have to, but because they value the partnership you’ve built with them over time. Similarly, clients who feel personally supported and valued are more likely to return, recommend you to others, and are more willing to collaborate on new opportunities and ideas.
By fostering strong relationships, you position yourself as someone who adds value, not just someone who seeks it. Over time, this leads to a reputation of integrity, reliability, and excellence that attracts new opportunities organically. Strong relationships can help you get through challenges. While skills and expertise are vital, it is the community around you that truly elevates your journey.
Members of PCMA’s 20 in Their Twenties class of 2025, supported by PCMA Foundation and Experience Columbus, were recognized at PCMA Convening Leaders 2025, Jan. 12-15 in Houston, Texas.