Conference Host & MC: Bringing Energy to APEA Live 2025
One of my favourite things about being a professional event host is that no two days are ever the same.
One day I'm interviewing a Spice Girl. The next I'm discussing fuel pricing, electric vehicles and petrol station snacks.
And genuinely, I wouldn't have it any other way.
In November 2025, I had the pleasure of hosting APEA Live at Arena MK in Milton Keynes, bringing together industry leaders, experts and businesses from across the UK's fuel and forecourt sector.
Now, I'll be the first to admit that fuel retailing wasn't an industry I knew a huge amount about before arriving.
But that's one of the things I absolutely love about my job.
You get to meet fascinating people, learn about industries you might never otherwise explore and discover some genuinely surprising things along the way.
And believe me, this particular conference delivered.
Kathryn B Wilson, Panel moderator and host
So, what's the most popular food item at a UK petrol station? 🥚
Here's a question for you.
What do you think is the most purchased food item at UK petrol station forecourts?
A chocolate bar? Crisps? A sausage roll?
Well, according to one of the rather surprising facts shared during the conference, it's apparently…
Hard-boiled eggs!
YES. HARD-BOILED EGGS.
I know!
Now, I haven't been able to independently verify that they're the number-one food item across every petrol station in the UK, but there is something rather fascinating happening with the humble boiled egg.
The Guardian reported on the rise of hard-boiled eggs as a popular UK snack, revealing that Tesco sold around 10 million pots of them in 2024.
And Convenience Store magazine has reported on customers buying boiled eggs at petrol forecourts, as part of a growing appetite for healthier, protein-rich snacks.
Who knew?!
It's exactly why I love hosting conferences in completely different industries. You go in to guide the conversations and keep the day running smoothly, and come away with facts you'll be telling people at dinner parties for the next six months.
I'll certainly never look at a petrol station snack selection in quite the same way again.
Bringing a little personality to a specialist industry conference
Of course, there was considerably more to APEA Live than boiled eggs.
The event brings together the people shaping the future of the UK's fuel and forecourt industry, from retailers and suppliers to technical specialists and regulators.
Organised in association with the Association for Petroleum and Explosives Administration, the conference is an opportunity for the industry to discuss everything from regulations and safety to changing technology and consumer behaviour.
And while the subjects are undoubtedly important, I don't believe a specialist industry conference needs to feel overly corporate or stuffy.
Quite the opposite.
My job as an MC is to bring the right energy to the room, make speakers feel comfortable, help conversations flow and make sure the audience feels included.
Professional? Absolutely. Predictable? Hopefully not.
Because even the most technical conference is still, at its heart, about people.
From electric vehicles to fuel pricing and everything in between
The APEA Live 2025 conference programme covered a huge range of topics affecting the industry.
We explored changing regulations, the future of fuel retailing, electric vehicle charging and the challenges facing businesses as the sector continues to evolve.
One of the sessions I was involved in focused on Fuel Finder: Live Pricing, Compliance and Margins, bringing together industry professionals to explore the changing landscape of fuel-price transparency.
Now, am I an expert in fuel pricing?
Absolutely not.
But that's not why you book a professional conference host.
You book someone who can do the preparation, understand what's important to your audience, bring out the best in the experts and keep the day moving.
Someone who's genuinely curious.
Someone who listens.
And someone who can ask the questions that make an interesting conversation even better.
That's a big part of what I bring to the stage.
A great conference host does more than introduce speakers
I think there's sometimes a misconception that being an event MC means walking onto a stage, introducing the next speaker and disappearing again.
And while introductions are certainly part of the job, there's so much more going on behind the scenes.
It's about reading the room.
Knowing when to bring the energy up.
Knowing when to let a serious conversation breathe.
Keeping an eye on the clock, making sure speakers feel supported and being ready to adapt when something inevitably changes.
Because, as anyone who works in live events will tell you, things don't always go exactly to plan.
My background as a TV and radio presenter has been invaluable here.
Broadcasting teaches you to think on your feet, listen properly, respond naturally and keep things moving even when the unexpected happens.
And those skills translate beautifully to live event hosting.
Whether I'm introducing an industry expert, facilitating a panel discussion or keeping a conference audience engaged between sessions, I want the whole experience to feel effortless.
Even when there's a huge amount happening behind the scenes!
Why I love hosting corporate conferences across different industries
One of the biggest privileges of my job is getting access to people who are genuinely brilliant at what they do.
I've hosted Legal Geek conferences in London, Chicago and Amsterdam, interviewed people from the worlds of entertainment and television, and worked with organisations across business, technology, education and beyond.
And then there are days like APEA Live, where I find myself learning about an entirely different industry.
Every event has its own audience, its own challenges and its own personality.
And I think that's what makes a great host.
Being able to adapt.
To understand the room.
To make people feel welcome.
And to bring warmth, professionalism and a little bit of fun to the stage, whatever the subject.
Because you don't have to be the expert in the room.
You just have to know how to bring the best out of the people who are.
A brilliant day at APEA Live 2025
It was a pleasure to host the APEA Live Conference at Arena MK, meeting so many passionate people working in an industry that plays a much bigger part in our everyday lives than most of us probably realise.
From fuel pricing and forecourt safety to the future of electric vehicles — and yes, those unforgettable hard-boiled eggs — it was a day full of interesting conversations and unexpected discoveries.
You can read more about the event through APEA Live's official conference website and erpecnews' coverage of the conference, which also featured my involvement as host.
Taking Questions on stage - MC Kathryn B Wilson
Looking for a professional conference host or MC in London?
I'm Kathryn B Wilson, a professional conference host, corporate event MC, panel moderator and TV presenter, based just outside London and working across the UK and internationally.
I bring experience, preparation, warmth and plenty of energy to every event I host, whether it's a specialist industry conference, a corporate event, an awards ceremony or a panel discussion.
And while I might not arrive knowing everything about your industry, I promise I'll arrive ready to learn, ready to engage your audience and ready to make your event feel like something more than a series of presentations.
Because great event hosting isn't about being the loudest person in the room.
It's about making everyone else feel part of it.
Explore my Event Host & MC work
Big on people. Bigger on energy.