MEET THE TEAM BEHIND THE GLOBAL RETAILER CONFERENCE
Lisbon hosted the Global Retailer Conference, a key event in Bentley’s 2025 calendar.
On Monday 16 to Wednesday 18 June 2025, Lisbon was home to one of the most significant events in the Bentley calendar: the Global Retailer Conference (GRC).
While the content and delivery may have looked seamless on the day, the planning was anything but simple. A huge amount of work takes place behind the scenes to deliver an event like this. That’s why we’re taking a moment to spotlight some of the incredible people who made it happen - specifically, Georgia Timmis, who played a central role in the event’s success. We sat down with Georgia to find out more.
Q: What’s your role at Bentley?
I’m an Event Coordinator in the Brand Experience team, part of Sales & Marketing.
Q: What has your career journey looked like so far?
I started out working as a freelance event coordinator while studying for my degree in Events Management, gaining experience across a wide variety of projects over ten years. After the pandemic, I took on a role as a payroll administrator, before joining Bentley in May 2023 as a Production Planning Coordinator in Manufacturing.
In August 2024, I joined the Brand Experience team on a secondment and was delighted to be offered a permanent position in April 2025.
Q: What is the Global Retailer Conference (GRC)?
The GRC is a bi-annual event designed to bring together Bentley’s global Retailer Network. It’s a platform to communicate our corporate strategy, align on business priorities, and excite our partners about the future of Bentley. It’s at the GRC our Retailers get to see and experience new products and innovation, under embargo ahead of public release.
Q: Why is it such an important event for Bentley?
It brings together our global Retailer Network to ensure alignment on our vision, strategy, and priorities. It strengthens our connection with our partners and gives them the opportunity to connect and learn from one another. By delivering consistent messages across all markets, we equip our retailers with the tools and confidence to represent the Bentley brand at the highest level. Just as importantly, it opens up two-way dialogue, giving our partners the chance to share what’s working, what’s not, and where we can improve together. Ultimately, it drives demand, supports sales, and reinforces a united path forward.
Q: Who attends the GRC and from where?
This year we had 310 attendees from across all key regions - Americas, Asia Pacific, China, and EMEA. Alongside our retailers, we were joined by Bentley Board Members, Regional Hosts, central presenters, and supporting teams across Brand Experience, R&D, Mulliner, Design and Security, who without, the event wouldn’t happen.
Q: What does a “day in the life” of the organising team look like in the lead-up to GRC?
Very full! My focus was primarily on logistics - finalising delegate lists, managing accommodation requirements, and building the registration website and event app that delegates used to access their personalised schedules.
I also worked closely with the team to ensure the conference environment reflected Bentley’s brand values - this included working through specifications for venue layouts, signage, and branding, all while supporting the logistics for our embargo vehicles and technical equipment.
Across the wider team, work was focused on content - developing presentations, aligning messaging with stakeholders, and ensuring that every touchpoint delivered clarity and impact.
Q: What are you most proud of?
The impact of the final event. From the strategic updates to the product unveil, everything was delivered with clarity and purpose. Feedback from the network has been really positive - and that’s the ultimate goal. It felt like a true Bentley event from start to finish.
Q: How does the GRC help bring the Beyond100+ strategy to life for retailers?
It transforms Beyond100+ from a high-level strategy into something tangible. By showcasing the product, people, and vision behind our plans, we help our retailers see exactly how they contribute to that journey - and how they can take it forward in their own regions.