Piers Schmidt of Luxury Branding was the strategist responsible for creating the One&Only Resorts management company for Sol Kerzner. He was later asked back to run a 3-day ‘brand rejuvenation’ workshop at One&Only La Palmilla, Mexico, for the entire Kerzner Executive Board. As his assistant, I supported in the pre-event co-ordination, workshop planning and preparation of a 2-hr travel trends presentation. I was also primary liaison between the design team at Pentagram in London and the resort staff in Mexico in the run-up to the event and played an Event Manager role once on-site. Author of ‘The Experience Economy’, Joe Pine, was flown in as our keynote speaker, vividly illustrating how we are all in the business of orchestreating and staging experiences today… and nowhere is that more true than at the top end of the resort market.