OUR 7TH MEET MAGENTO UK WAS THE ULTIMATE MAGENTO & ADOBE COMMERCE CONFERENCE IN 2024
Meet Magento UK 2024 was truly on another level!
Wow, where to start!? Two weeks later, we’re still processing everything that happened in just 24 hours—from the pre-party on Monday to the last game of table tennis and karaoke song at the after-party (looking at you, Lois!).
For the last seven years, we’ve bought the Magento & Adobe Commerce communities the pinnacle of conferences. MMUK is renowned globally as one of the must-dos, and that’s why we see visitors coming from all corners of the globe just to have a front row seat.
Absolutely smashing our targets, the JH team happily welcomed over 750 attendees this year, setting a new record and making this the biggest and arguably best Meet Magento UK yet.
Why was it so awesome? How long have you got! Check the socials for the outpourings of love coming via #MM24UK, but for a TL-DR version, here’s what we thought of the day.
The Warm-Up
Fringe Events Galore
Fringe events kicked off on Monday afternoon with the JH Comedy Horror Bus Tour. Celebrating the gory side of London, with a hilarious host adding wit to the macabre, the bus took passengers on a pitstop tour of the capital’s most gruesome haunts.
The bus’ final stop was joining the crowd of party-goers at the pre-party at the Devereux pub. This annual tradition has become a vital part of the MMUK experience, welcoming “the batshit crazy lunatics, brilliant geniuses, the special and wonderful set of people around Magento Open Source and Adobe Commerce” that converge on London each year. (Thanks to JH CEO Jamie Huskisson for that soundbite from #MM23UK that is never going to die)
Catching up with long-time community members and meeting new faces is always a fantastic way to start our conference, and this year, with the venue at max capacity and waiting lists for both events, it was our first taste of the super-special sauce that coated Meet Magento UK 2024.
Kudos to our partners Hypernode and ShipperHQ for sponsoring these events alongside JH and making them possible.
The Keynotes
Celebrating Community
Our CEO, the one and only Jamie Huskisson, set the day’s tone with an inspiring welcome, highlighting the power of community and innovation in eCommerce. We were thrilled to announce the launch of the new Magento Open Source website, a significant milestone for the community, on the #MM24UK stage.
ShipperHQ’s esteemed Eric Erway followed with a keynote that provided an expert retrospective on Magento’s journey, emphasising the current alignment of vision and goals across the ecosystem. Eric’s invitation to the stage was a moment of cyclical bliss for Meet Magento UK: had it not been for Eric’s involvement and encouragement those seven years ago, Jamie and JH wouldn’t be running the event in the UK now. That doesn’t even bear thinking about.
The Talks
As always, Jamie handpicked the agenda with such care, but the quality of the talks we bring to the community is at the forefront of MMUK planning. That said, we were still blown away by the innovation and expertise being shared by the speakers and panels.
Our day was packed with insightful talks from numerous community legends, with subjects ranging from being an ally for women in tech to accessibility and everything in between.
Our hot takes from the day were:
Community and Innovation
The overwhelming turnout and engagement underscored the strength and vitality of the Magento community, a fact that some fools on social media say is waning.
This year’s event displayed how tightly aligned we are with our goals, even as we work across different sectors, industries, and software. There is a place for us all within this part of eCommerce, and whether you swing to Magento Open Source or Adobe Commerce, collectively, we come together and share the best of it all.
Web Performance
Web performance is an ongoing hot topic. It affects everything in e-commerce: user experience, conversion rates, SEO rankings, and customer satisfaction. Talks by Karlijn Löwik, John Hughes, and Matt Medlyn all explored how fast, responsive sites reduce bounce rates, boost engagement, and improve search engine visibility.
The importance of using real user metrics rather than simulated checks was reiterated throughout the day. Max Pronko, Martins Saukums, and Andreas von Studnitz shared experiences on the impact of real vs. simulated data, with customer satisfaction dwindling due to failing to replicate diverse user environments.
Customer-Centric Strategies
A unanimous sentiment throughout MM24UK was the need for personalisation across the customer journey, with sessions by Shaun Loughlin, Janis Thomas and Johnnie Norton’s panel with Alex Hannaford, Lauren Duncan and Catherine Rees delivering diverse perspectives.
Personalisation across all touchpoints and the importance of exceeding users’ expectations are statements echoed throughout eCommerce and discussed at length during the 2024 Adobe Summit.
For more information about Adobe’s thoughts, download our Adobe Summit 2024 ebook here.
Inclusivity matters
To our delight, inclusivity was touched on from several different angles, with Kuba Zwolinski and Ksenia Zvereva’s talks being the pinnacles of education. A prime aim of Meet Magento UK is to participate in discussions that present multiple perspectives, and our conference is a safe space for conversations around minorities and women in tech to flourish.
Accessibility is on our list of growing trends the eCommerce sector will see in the future as developing inclusive solutions rightfully gains more momentum. Being at the forefront of this movement should be a key takeaway for everyone through the broader tech industry: without allies working towards inclusivity, the web will never be fully accessible.
However, we still want to champion a greater variety of cultures on our MMUK stage and increase speaker submissions from people of colour within the tech industry. We made great leaps in encouraging more women speakers for MM24UK. Next, we’d like to make the talks a more diverse representation of the global Magento community.
The rise of AI
JH’s panel, hosted by our Customer Success Manager Nick Muldoon, discussed the growing use of AI practices is shaping the future of eCommerce with Amber Robertson, Rosie Bailey, and Syed Ali Iftikhar. From search personalisation to CRO optimisation, machine learning is becoming a core consideration for businesses in the Magento and Adobe Commerce ecosystems.
Instead of being something to be wary of, the panel’s critical thinking provided solid insights into current trends and future directions, with business growth and customer engagement use cases being key takeaways.
The Marketplace
Every booth in the marketplace was electric, buzzing with the energy of the incredible people who define our industry.
Forget the doom and gloom of the economic climate; the focus was all about shooting for the stars. The air was filled with excitement over the positive economic shifts and groundbreaking innovations from our sponsors. Conversations with partners, merchants, and vendors were vibrant and productive, with some attendees choosing to stay put in the marketplace all day.
The incredible feel was maximised by headline sponsor Akoova’s Silent Rave (get your tracks here), Fastly’s selfie-printed lattes, and our JH ice cream stand. This wasn’t just networking but a celebration of what’s possible when we all come together and disrupt the norm, letting creativity and ambition collide.
THAT After-Party
Well, wasn’t it popping!?
Who knew hiring an enormous venue with ping pong, karaoke, 2 bars, and unlimited pizza would be such a hit? Erm, we did.
Throwing the usual staid post-event networking ideas in the bin, we opted for the typical JH style of positive disruption and went to bat (or paddle) with Bounce Farringdon.
Seeing the rooms rammed with relaxed, happy eCommerce professionals making new connections and turning acquaintances into friends gave us all the warm and fuzzies, maybe helped along by the insane strength of the cocktails.
Final Thoughts
Meet Magento UK 2024 was a unanimously agreed resounding success.
The event highlighted the importance of community, showcased technological innovations, and provided invaluable insights into the future of eCommerce. We’re grateful to all the speakers, sponsors, and attendees who made this event possible.
A special shoutout to the JH team for their hard work and dedication in organising such a vibrant and impactful event. We’re already looking forward to Meet Magento UK 2025!