Do you see online and data innovation as the way forward for event organisers ? Not especially . Online connectivity is complementary and useful for events , but it ’ s periphery , not a game changer . Lately it ’ s been more a case of ‘ grasping at straws ’. I sense the topic has been over-amplified as a means of modernising event organising and I don ’ t see a convenient transition away from face-to-face to online .

Also , the value of data has been somewhat exaggerated . When we look at event data we are essentially only talking about the names and business addresses of relatively small numbers of individuals . The idea organisers can engineer valuable surveillance information about their customers , along the lines of Google , Facebook , Apple , or Amazon , is wishful thinking .

How does the international conference market differ from the exhibition one and how does this affect the organiser ’ s approach to success ? Conferences are , typically , topic-driven , so while there is exciting new subject matter they work well . Their problem is one of content repetition . Tradeshows , on the other hand , are

driven basically by market activity , transactionally , between buyer and seller . Repetition is not a problem . But things are changing , this dichotomy is becoming blurred . Hybridised events that enable one-to-one meetings and transactional activity are in the ascendency , a trend that is gathering pace . The Covid crisis has amplified these dynamics . The biggest international tradeshows , cloned around the world , are under threat from global change . Tradeshows that rely too heavily upon critical mass , international free trade , carbon footprint , physical exhibits , freight , and long-haul travel face growing difficulties . In a post-vaccine world , exhibitions reducing by 20 % or more will look like they are failing . To my mind , everything points towards a rebalancing towards more regionalised , more frequent , specialised , hybridised trading events to suit individual sectors .

What helps make a conference successful ? Vertical niches are the most compelling . Conferences need great speakers with real sectoral insight . Expert chairing , ruthless time keeping ,

Above : Stephen Brooks , third left , says : ‘ Work with people who ’ s company you enjoy ’

entertainment and inspiration are critical but , above all , the biggest value maximiser is providing opportunity for networking intimacy between interest groups .

Going forward , hybrid and virtual conference models should be easier to launch and make pay than exhibitions ? Nothing is easy but , yes , you have a point . For organisers , the risk of losing money on event innovation is driven primarily by venues . Smaller meetings benefit from flexibility , greater venue choice and are less risky to launch . They also replicate online more readily . But virtual is nothing without face-to-face , human beings are animals not machines , they like to sniff one another !

Will you do anything more in events and what interests you ? I ’ d like to fund event launches again from 2021 and remain on the lookout . We will see ! I ’ m 10 % interested in great ideas , but 90 % interested in great execution . My preference , always , is to join with quietly confident people who know how to launch , work with clarity , and move in a straight line .