This year, it was Baku’s turn to host the annual UN Climate Conference, COP29. But if you think COP is just a place where negotiators wrangle over climate agreements for days on end, fuelled by stale sandwiches and caffeine overdoses, think again. Behind those intense plenary sessions, COP is also the grand stage where side events, backdoor meetings, and high-profile functions are the beating heart of business, diplomacy, and everything in between.