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everywhere in the world . Considering the scale of the country , it is , however , a pity that major international events take place mostly in Moscow and St Petersburg , but B2B events in Russia are very keen on learning at the events as well as making connections – so a strong conference programme is an absolute must .
Which business successes have you been most proud of ?
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Left : Anna Dycheva- Smirnova on the show floor
Anna in her own words ( continued from p . 15 ):
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RX Russia ran all events in Moscow in 2020 except for one . We postponed March-April events to the second half of the year and it was a kind of a record for the team – five events running simultaneously on the same dates in September in one venue – that was a unique , tough but exhilarating experience - hearing the buzz of live events .
What would you say is your greatest business strength ?
Passion and resilience . I have a deep respect for the tradefair industry ’ s strong purpose , that is to build the economic development of sectors , countries and regions , as well a passion for my people and developing them to their full potential .
How have you used digital technologies to keep the exhibition brands alive through Covid-19 ?
We have experimented with various digital formats , not only to keep the show brands alive but also to support the industries with which we operate , to give them the opportunities to communicate within their communities , something which was especially important during the pandemic .
The purpose of the exhibition industry is to allow industry professionals to communicate , gain knowledge , develop business , bring it across borders and so on . It is extremely valuable to drive SMEs ’ development and grow local
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economies . So , our tradefairs create platforms for businesses across the world and our online events served their purpose in the pandemic .
What initiatives and ideas are you looking forward to introducing to the Reed Exhibitions UK business ?
RX UK has an incredibly strong portfolio of world-renowned brands , a great team of professionals and a solid foundation . Our main shortterm targets are to start running the events across the country ( when the government permits and following all health and safety requirements ); augment the value of our events through digital elements ; and offer the opportunity to participate remotely to those who are unable to travel . This is extremely important as this is what our customers crave – interpersonal communication , the energy , the opportunities that live events bring . We will experiment with different formats of virtual and hybrid events and we will implement more data-driven solutions based on customer insight .
How quickly will in-person exhibitions return in Europe ?
My guess here is as good as yours . We are running events now in China , Korea , Japan and Russia . Events are allowed in Istanbul and Dubai . After the roadmap that was announced by the UK prime minister it seems that there may be a start
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from June-July , so things look very positive for UK tradefairs as well .
The business usually has high claims on all events industry professionals ’ time . When you get free time how do you like to use it ?
Reading is my hobby . I am fascinated by trend forecasting and books that trace the influence of things that we take for granted and how they have shaped economies and history of many regions ( the history of salt for example ).
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What are your targets for the Reed Exhibitions businesses under your direction ? Do you anticipate much M & A and / or launch activity in the tradeshow markets you are involved in in the next two years ?
The target is to serve the SMEs across the globe which have probably suffered more than most the disruption of pandemic , to help them build , rebuild or strengthen their businesses , and drive geographic expansion . That may involve geo-clones of our events , acquisitions in some of the areas that are of interest to us and will be a strategic fit to our portfolio , as well as acquisitions in the areas of high potential . I think we have a very exciting couple of years ahead , full of opportunities and we have everything in place that we need to seize them – our team , the knowledge and the technology .
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• I ’ ve been a member of the Board of the Perfumery and Cosmetics Association of Russia for the past 10 years .
• My son is in his third year at university doing Chinese studies and economics . He studies at the same university from which both my husband and I graduated in Russia .
• I am fascinated by the art of Frida Kahlo , Jose Posada and Tina Modotti .
• I am a great fan of stationary from Japanese Tomoe river paper and fountain pens , and love the different colour inks from Kyoto – that helps me keep track of my work and make notes and discipline myself in style .
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