Aug22136 55. Event Experiences CEO of the Year 2025 (Italy): Massimo Palermo Although Oxygen Live is a relatively new events agency, starting four years ago, the team behind it have been working in communication and events now for more than 20 years. Having worked across all sorts of projects between them, from corporate events to huge sporting spectacles such as the Olympics, setting up Oxygen Live was a way for this group to combine their experiences with a breath of fresh air and an independent spirit. On the back of his recognition in this programme, we caught up with Massimo Palermo, the company’s CEO, to learn more about its exciting work. Taking care of everything a client needs across their project, from concept development through to on-site coordination, Oxygen Live has quickly established itself as a leader in event experiences across Italy and beyond. Creating events infused with character, wonder, and innovation, the company specialises in delivering unforgettable memories for those who attend its events, bringing client visions to life whilst still injecting its own magic, magic that has seen it work with brands such as Maserati, AC Milan, Emirates, Ferrari, and Formula E. Whether in Italy or abroad, what sets Oxygen Live apart is the holistic approach it takes to projects, through a process spearhead by the team of passionate, energetic individuals behind the agency. Recognising that the people on all sides of an event are just as important as the event itself, Oxygen Live invests a great deal of time and effort into building relationships with clients. Its relationships with the planet and local communities are just as important, seen through the company becoming a Benefit Corporation in 2024. The man behind many of these initiatives is CEO Massimo Palermo, whose entrepreneurial mindset – which includes a bit of a taste for risk – has guided his career in events since his university days. Massimo’s first company saw him run a booking agency that brought the indie rock bands nobody else seemed interested in from the US and UK to Italy for gigs. Even just a few years in, this agency had become widely recognised across Italy and the rest of Europe, paving the way for Massimo to move to the next challenge. Quickly securing a role at the City of Rome’s in-house agency for public events on the back of his first business’ success, Massimo pivoted into the corporate and sporting events spheres shortly after, spending a decade at Italy’s leading events company. The opportunities this role presented were game-changing for Massimo, who was working alongside industry leaders on a daily basis. This resulted in a short spell as a consultant in the events space, before Massimo returned to his entrepreneurial roots through Oxygen Live. Massimo’s wealth of experience in this sector has proven instrumental in the success of this new event-production agency, as this is an industry where there are no second chances, meaning perfection is a must on every occasion. As Massimo explained: “Clients need to believe you can deliver and conveying that trust and credibility is the first real step – both with new clients and with those who’ve been with you for a while.” ‘Events’ is also an incredibly broad term, as Oxygen Live handles everything from conventions and product launches to roadshows. Because every project its team execute is brand new in one way or another, the only way to deliver what is expected of them is to listen to what a client requests and reimagine it within a successful framework. Again, this is where the team’s – especially Massimo’s – experiences are the difference between running a good event and an unforgettable one. With Oxygen Live, it is always the latter. Diving deeper into this, Massimo told us: “As a company, we’ve had the privilege of building ourselves around our own vision. We’re also agile enough to take risks that bigger agencies often can’t afford – and I see that as a real competitive advantage.” It is thanks to this that Oxygen Live has successfully navigated some big challenges so far, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the events space and the ongoing rise of AI. As Oxygen Live continues to work hard to position itself as a frontrunner in this space, both in Italy and abroad, Massimo tells us he has reached a stage in his career where he feels it important to give back. To this end, he has started teaching a university-level event project management course over the past few years. This demonstrates a commitment to nurturing the next generation of events leaders, which is the icing on the cake of a career we believe to be more than worthy of recognition trough this award. Contact: Massimo Palermo Company: Oxygen Live Web Address: https://weareoxygen.live/ AIM-May25091
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