Friedemann Grase, founder of GPM LiveMarketing GmbH, in conversation about Berlin as a destination for corporate events and the role of a local incoming agency
Mr Grase, you have been working in the events industry for over 30 years. How did your personal journey lead to what GPM is today?
I am a native Berliner and began my professional career with studies in sound engineering. I then worked at an international music school in Vienna before entering the events industry while studying marketing communications.
This somewhat unconventional path, combined with the fact that I started working in hospitality during my school years and learned service and customer orientation from the ground up, proved to be an ideal foundation for event marketing. With this background, my career quickly gained momentum.
More than 25 years ago, I founded GPM LiveMarketing GmbH. From our offices in Berlin and Düsseldorf, we now deliver events across Europe – and increasingly on a global scale.
What personal connection do you have with Berlin as an event destination?
I find it difficult to describe the city without sounding like a marketing professional. But for me, Berlin is, above all, living European history. This is not a city to be merely visited – it has to be understood and explored.
I grew up in West Berlin with the Wall and the Allied forces, experienced the fall of the Berlin Wall first-hand on the night it happened at the Brandenburg Gate, and was part of the subculture that emerged shortly afterwards in Berlin-Mitte around Potsdamer Platz, Hackescher Markt and Oranienburger Strasse.
These personal experiences gave rise to the idea of supporting brands and companies coming to Berlin in delivering events here – from content and concept through to execution. Berlin is not an interchangeable destination. It is a complex metropolis shaped by history, tension, culture and energy.
Many international companies are drawn to Berlin. What should they bear in mind when planning an event?
Berlin is an international metropolis – and that brings specific challenges. Major events such as ITB, IFA, the International Green Week, the Berlin Marathon or the DFB Cup Final have a significant impact on the availability of hotels, venues and service providers.
Especially for larger groups or complex programmes, sufficient lead time is essential to secure hotels, venues, speakers and all related services. We are talking about a minimum of six months, ideally more. Late planning inevitably leads to rapidly increasing costs and compromises that can undermine the originality of the concept.
My most important advice is to plan early, avoid unwanted clashes with major events and choose dates strategically.
Which times of year are particularly suitable for corporate events in Berlin?
As is the case with many European cities, Berlin is especially attractive for corporate events during the summer months from May to September. At this time, Berlin is green, spacious and highly active in public spaces. Culture, the creative scene and city life move outdoors, enabling open-air formats, events on the River Spree and summer celebrations.
At the same time, Berlin reveals a very different strength during the winter months. The city offers an exceptional range of creative indoor venues – from industrial spaces and former production facilities to iconic locations regularly used as backdrops for film, music and brand productions. Immersive formats, industrial-style stagings and references to Berlin’s nightlife often become even more powerful during the darker months of the year.
Overall, Berlin is a city that offers enormous potential for dramaturgical event highlights throughout the year and for a wide variety of target groups – provided that staging, concept, venue selection and communication are carefully aligned.
How does event planning in Berlin differ from other European metropolises?
Due to its history, Berlin’s event hotspots are still divided into East and West. Anyone planning an event in connection with a trade fair (such as ITB, IFA or InnoTrans) and expecting trade fair visitors should generally look for suitable venues in the western part of the city.
For highly customised and detail-oriented events, the eastern part of the city centre is often the better choice. This is where historic Berlin can be found, with many cultural highlights and landmarks that can be seamlessly integrated into supporting programmes.
Another distinguishing feature is the sheer number of extraordinary venues. As East Berlin lay dormant for decades, many centrally located buildings were only rediscovered and creatively transformed after reunification. In contrast, the western part of the city is characterised by more modern venues and multifunctional event spaces.
What role does a Berlin-based incoming agency play in this context?
A local incoming agency such as the Berlin-based event agency GPM LiveMarketing brings in-depth market knowledge, experience and a reliable network. Local agencies design events from within the city and ensure that events do not simply take place in Berlin, but truly bring Berlin to life.
Your final advice to international companies?
Berlin is raw, contradictory and full of energy – and events here should be conceived in exactly the same way.
Anyone who tries to smooth out or standardise the city misses the true experience.
If you want to create a genuinely Berlin-style event, you need to understand the city, know its rhythms and consciously integrate its unique characteristics into the event concept – from date selection and location choice to the overall staging. Berlin does not forgive poor planning, but it rewards bold, well-prepared concepts with truly exceptional experiences.
About Friedemann Grase and GPM LiveMarketing
Friedemann Grase is the founder and one of the owners of GPM LiveMarketing GmbH, based in Berlin. For around 30 years, he and his team have delivered sophisticated brand and corporate events, congresses, conferences and incentive formats for national and international companies and brands. A particular focus lies on Berlin as an event destination and on GPM’s role as a Berlin-based incoming agency for international clients.