About us​

B2B events

Cogent Events create and deliver compelling events in collaboration with industry, with an increasing emphasis on clean-tech and the built environment.
We have over 25 years experience across multiple sectors and ensure that global best practice and proven methodologies are applied to everything we do. 

Event support services

We offer the following event support services:
Exhibition stand support
Conference and meeting project management
Marketing campaigns, pre-event social media boosts - in fact, event marketing support right through to post-event evaluation
On-the-day support

Cogent's own events

We are rolling out a new series of events: Low Carbon Homes ​– a Cogent Events initiative bringing domestic energy efficiency innovations to the UK regions via a nationwide event series – the Low Carbon Homes Forum. Low Carbon Homes wants to drive the adoption of new energy saving standards by providing a unique platform. Here, professionals can share best practice and discover pioneering methodologies and products to help transform domestic property efficiency, reduce fuel poverty and lower carbon emissions.

The team

While we will always lead a project, it's not all about us. We have an enviable network of creative and technical professionals at our disposal who can help us support your event.​

Graham Lock, founder and director

​Graham has over 25 years’ experience in the commercial events industry starting out with Haymarket Media and their ground-breaking joint-venture with the BBC.

As one of the first employees of BBC Haymarket Exhibitions, Graham contributed to the success of Clothes Show Live, BBC Gardener’s World Live and several other major launch consumer events. 
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Moving to Dubai, Graham broadened his event experience as Sales Director and then Exhibitions Director across a high-profile portfolio of international B2B events in sectors including health, IT, power and fashion.  Further international experience was gained in Amsterdam where Graham helped set up and run a new joint-venture events business with de Telegraaf Media Group, the Netherlands’ largest media owner.

Back in the UK, Graham assumed senior business development roles with major events business Clarion and Reed/Montgomery before setting up his own business in 2009.  Graham now works with media owners to help them create profitable events delivered to world-class standards, as well as developing in-house projects.

From 2014-17 he was commissioned to create the UK's largest trade show for the heating and plumbing industry - the Installer show at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry - www.installershow.com
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In 2015 he co-founded and (in 2017) sold his shareholding in FOCUS – an international event serving the TV & Film production community - www.tlgfocus.com

In 2017 Graham successfully completed Aston Business School's Programme for Small Business Growth and launched Low Carbon Homes, a series of niche regional events - www.lowcarbonhomes.uk

Sophie Lock, event manager

​Sophie has 20 years of planning, producing and managing B2B conferences, seminars and trade stands in the UK and overseas, in commercial and not-for-profit sectors.

With extensive event marketing experience especially in the agricultural and technical sectors, she manages and delivers a wide variety of events. From farm walks and seminars to international congresses - no event is too small, too large or too complex! 

Sophie earned her event 'stripes' at worldwide events specialists Informa (Middle East), where she produced and delivered events on diverse topics, from finance to the energy industry. Time spent in waste management, minerals mining, agriculture, TV & Film location communities, low carbon and - latterly - self-build housing, ensures Sophie can tackle pretty much any event and any topic, no matter which sector you work in - commercial, public or not-for-profit.

​I have known Cogent and Sophie for many years and would recommend them very highly, extremely professional and strong on delivery. Sophie was instrumental in helping NaCSBA deliver a series of high profile events for their Right to Build Task Force throughout 2018 at various locations around the UK working closely with a variety of hosts, marketing and managing the events to the highest of standards.
Peter J, Publisher

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