Q&A with Fabien Joncourt, formerly Senior Client Experience Manager at Burberry

'Exclusivity, surprise, and delight are crucial: creating a sense of privilege and access that clients wouldn’t find elsewhere'

We recently sat down with our client Fabien Joncourt to reflect on his time leading global hospitality programmes at Burberry and his experience working with Parade.

To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about what you do?

At Burberry, I was part of the global strategy team for Client Experiences, covering retail activations, events, gifting, and collateral - with the goal of driving client acquisition and retention. I defined strategies, objectives and roadmaps, led creative briefs, and managed projects from concept through to execution. I also oversaw budgets, rolled out initiatives to markets, and reported key insights to senior leadership. For our top clients, I curated exceptional multi-day experiences centred around key brand moments - fashion shows being the most prominent. Others included the Queen’s Jubilee, Venice Biennale, and summer activations in places like St Tropez and Mykonos. I was also responsible for sourcing and managing third-party vendors, including concierges and agencies, to bring these experiences to life.

When planning a client experience, what is the most important consideration for you?

The most important consideration is relevance - ensuring the experience is deeply aligned with the clients' expectations, interests, and the brand’s narrative at that moment. It needs to feel personal, meaningful, and seamlessly connected to the broader brand strategy. Emotional connection is key, but so is seamless execution: the right locations, venues, partners, storytelling, and level of service must all come together flawlessly to create something truly memorable. Lastly, exclusivity, surprise, and delight are crucial: creating a sense of privilege and access that clients wouldn’t find elsewhere, and introducing an unexpected, thoughtful touch that leaves a lasting impression.

Can you share any examples of great guest experience that you’ve encountered either personally or professionally?

The most extraordinary experiences are those where everything is anticipated, every detail is curated, and you're treated as an individual - making you feel truly valued. One such experience was at the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai. From the emotional welcome rooted in local culture - incense blessing, a necklace to ward off evil, and a bindi on my forehead - to the personal attention from the General Manager, who I would see daily and engage in meaningful conversations with. He even surprised me with a fine silk robe and a personal note for my sister, who was getting married. The impeccable service throughout my stay exceeded expectations, and even when I left, I was gifted a lucky charm. It was a truly memorable and personal experience.

Do you have an example of the worst guest experience you’ve received that you can share?

The worst experience I’ve had was when the service felt impersonal and disconnected. Everything felt clunky - there were errors along the way, and the staff seemed disengaged. There was no effort to personalize the experience, and when issues arose, there was a complete lack of accountability or customer service. It made me feel like just another guest, rather than someone valued, which really undermined the overall experience.

Before working with Parade, what were some of the biggest challenges you faced when it came to planning the client experience for your event?

Before partnering with Parade, one of the key challenges was managing complex, multi-day experiences without a centralised support system. I was overseeing everything from strategy, planning, creative, guest management and on-the-ground logistics - often with evolving elements. While I consistently delivered, it required navigating fragmented local resources and responding to last-minute changes, all while balancing my core responsibilities. Time was a constant pressure, and ensuring consistency, quality, and agility at scale was demanding. Working with a trusted partner like Parade allowed me to elevate the execution even further - bringing peace of mind, consistency, reactivity, and excellence at every stage while allowing me to focus on the bigger strategic picture.

What drew you to working with Parade? What stood out about our approach?

What initially drew me to Parade was my relationship with the two founders - I had worked with them on previous projects and knew they truly understood the codes of luxury. Their attention to detail, impeccable manners, and ability to deliver with grace and discretion stood out immediately. What I appreciated most was that they didn’t just execute - they anticipated, advised, and elevated every touchpoint. Their approach is rooted in true luxury: thoughtful, seamless, and always client-centric. They consistently brought smart suggestions, calm under pressure, and a sense of refinement that made them a trusted extension of our team.

‘Event Concierge’ isn’t a term everyone knows - how would you describe the service we provided to your team and clients based on your experience working with Parade?

Event concierge is a full-service event organisation, covering everything from initial planning and coordination to logistics and on-the-ground execution. Parade executed this flawlessly. They meticulously managed every detail, from handling guest communications and managing itineraries to proactively solving issues. The service they provided went beyond logistics - it was about creating a seamless, personalised experience for both our clients and hosts, ensuring everything ran smoothly and exceeded expectations. Our hosts were so impressed from the very beginning that we had no hesitation in confirming a partnership immediately after our first event.

How would you say the client experience was changed due to Parade’s involvement?

With Parade taking care of all the complexities, giving me and my team time back and peace of mind to dive deeply into every detail, the entire experience became smoother, more refined, and tailored specifically to each client's needs. Their seamless coordination allowed us to focus on delivering truly meaningful, high-impact interactions, resulting in an elevated, stress-free experience. This not only exceeded our clients’ expectations but also left a lasting impression on our guests, ensuring a truly unforgettable event.

For other brands and businesses considering working with an Event Concierge partner, what would your advice be?

Considering that multi-day experiences fall outside the typical scope of Client and Marketing teams, partnering with an Event Concierge is a worthwhile investment. Their expertise ensures a level of detail and service excellence that internal teams may struggle to match. The right partner will seamlessly handle all the complexities, doing the heavy lifting for you, while allowing your team to focus on strategic priorities and ensuring every aspect of the experience is executed flawlessly. By cherry-picking the right clients for these exclusive experiences, the ROI is assured - and may even be enhanced, as clients' satisfaction will reflect the quality of the experience. With their support, you will deliver exceptional, personalised experiences that exceed expectations, leaving a lasting impact on clients and ensuring your brand will stay front of mind.