They all said that the new format of the conference from 2012 would be a more modest affair. How wrong they were!

Swarming around one of the best hotels in London were top figures from the industry and legions of sharply-suited sales staff. The glitzy conference reception desk sparkled as though it was the departure gate to another world.

I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the conference goody bag. Rather than the usual boring brochures, it was rumoured that these were filled with the stuff of celebrity parties. “How convenient”, I thought, “I could really do with some new perfume.”