International projects: between chaos and structure

# tags: Events

We sat down with Mary Kirillova, CEO & Founder at BEIC - Global Network of Independent Event & Brand Experience Agencies, to find out how BEIC is structuring international collaboration.

You’ve been working internationally for years. What is the biggest challenge you see today?

It’s not that international collaboration is broken. It’s that it’s not really organised. Every time a project involves more than one country, it almost starts from zero. New teams, new ways of working, new expectations to align. Even when agencies know each other, the collaboration still has to be rebuilt every single time. And that takes a lot of energy.

But large global agencies already have international structures. Isn’t that solving the problem?

Inside one organisation yes. And even there, not always. Agencies may have multiple offices, but they often operate in parallel. The moment they start working together, challenges appear: from financial models to role distribution. People are still people. And outside of one structure, it becomes even more complex. Different agencies, different cultures, different commercial models — and most importantly, no shared standards. So even strong agencies, when they come together, don’t automatically know how to operate as one team.

And this is where BEIC comes in?

Yes, but not in the traditional sense. We are not an agency, and we are not trying to become one. What we are building is a way for independent agencies to work together in a structured way when they collaborate internationally.

What does “structured” actually mean in your case?

It means that collaboration is not reinvented every time. In practice, we are introducing very concrete elements: a shared approach to budgeting, where agencies align financial logic, margins, and transparency before going to the client. A clear definition of roles and responsibilities, so every project has a lead, local ownership, and no ambiguity. Basic communication rules, like response time, update structure, and how decisions are documented. And a simple but important principle every project should have measurable outcomes, even if the client doesn’t explicitly ask for them. Not to control the work, but to make it easier to work together.

"Connection is only the first step"

So this is more about creating a system than building a network?

Exactly. Networks connect people. And we did that, today BEIC is one of the largest professional networks in our industry. But connection is only the first step. We are now focusing on structuring how agencies actually work together. Because in reality, international projects are not just about creativity they are about coordination, responsibility, and clarity.

What are you building in practical terms?

A framework that helps create professional teams across markets. When several agencies come together on one project, they don’t operate as separate entities, they operate as one team, with clear roles, shared logic, and aligned expectations. For example, we define who is the lead agency, how decisions are made, and how local partners contribute without creating duplication or conflict. It sounds simple, but in practice it changes everything.

"Step by step"

This sounds quite complex. How do you make it work in practice?

Step by step. We are launching a shared budgeting system that helps agencies align financial structures across different markets and currencies. We are introducing simple operational rules: how to structure a project before it starts, how to communicate during delivery, how to report after. And just as importantly, we are working on continuous calibration. Through programs like GrowHub, Creative Summit, and CEO meetings, agencies regularly align not just processes, but expectations and ways of thinking. It’s not a single tool. It’s a combination of structure and culture.

Has this been done before in the industry?

Not in this way. There are networks, and there are global agencies. But a system where independent agencies across different markets learn how to operate together as one, with shared principles and working methods, this is still quite new.

What makes it work?

The willingness to align. You cannot force this kind of system. Agencies need to see the value of working in a more structured way. And they need to be ready to adapt, not just creatively, but operationally.

Work in progress

And where are you now in this process?

Somewhere in the middle. We already see real collaboration happening: agencies working together on projects, sharing responsibility, aligning approaches. At the same time, we are still building the structure around it. It’s an ongoing process.

What would success look like for you?

Not scale. But a moment where international collaboration feels natural, not complicated. Where teams don’t have to figure everything out from scratch. And where a group of independent agencies, across countries, cultures, and markets, can genuinely operate as one. Because if 38 independent agencies can do that, that’s already something quite powerful. And ultimately, this is what matters most: If a client works with a BEIC agency, they should feel safe anywhere in the world. Because internationally, we don’t operate as separate partners, we operate as one system.