Author: Amber Pierce The Natural History Museum in London was the setting for Euromoney’s first foray into hosting a dinner for the annual awards for excellence. In all 550 bankers and their entourages turned up on the evening on July 12, several fresh from taking part in the 3.5 mile Chase Challenge run in Battersea Park (at least we hope they were fresh).
Three musicians on stilts entertained the guests as they entered. After an hour of catching up with the competition over a glass or three of champagne, everyone trooped through to the main hall to sit down for dinner, with the giant diplodocus skeleton in the middle of the room as the main attraction.
For those who dislike beetroot and love cheese, the meal was a minor disappointment and the peppercorns inside the strawberry meringue were something of a surprise. But very soon into the meal many had abandoned their seats to mingle again.
Getting them back to their seats for the awards was tough enough; keeping them quiet was a near impossibility. But soon Euromoney’s managing director, Simon Brady, who was acting as compere, added a touch of humour.