Listeners and responders to promote the event ecosystem
New CEO Vinnie Polito shares his vision for SISO
T alk to incoming SISO ( society for Independent Show Organisers ) CEO Vinnie Polito and it ’ s apparent that the organisation will be in great hands under his leadership . Tapped by SISO ’ s board of directors last August , Polito is replacing David Audrain , CEO of ExpoDevCo , who has run the association since 2016 . Polito ’ s firm , VP International , will take over as SISO ’ s management company .
A more than 30-year exhibition industry veteran , Polito previously served as managing director of trade show marketing firm mdg and has held senior leadership positions at RX , Ziff Davis and COMDEX . His extensive experience and connections make him ideally suited to the challenges and opportunities that define the organisation ’ s next chapter , says SISO chair Cassandra Farrington .
As he readies to take the helm on 1 January , Polito shares here his vision for SISO , the challenges the exhibition industry is facing and how the organisation will equip its membership to weather future storms . media , key influencers – and I ’ m taking a similar approach .
My objectives include helping our membership become more data influenced , if not data driven . Analytics reflecting the science of marketing have positively impacted the approach to events , [ and ] I know we can help many of our members in this area . Helping smaller organisers position their companies for growth and potential acquisition will benefit all our membership and the industry . Workforce is another area that merits significant attention , as the entire ecosystem has been challenged to attract and retain talent .
The pandemic brought our membership closer together and there remains a desire to continue that closeness – I will enhance this further . I believe the next few years will be a defining time for our membership .
“ We are in a position to have first-mover advantage and I will communicate as needed to the benefit of our members ”
Vinnie Polito
What are the biggest issues the exhibition industry is facing and do you see them continuing ? Some issues will always be cyclical . Proving value is something that continues to evolve . The event cessation of 2020 and much of 2021 resulted in decision-making becoming more of the purview of the CMO and continuing to prove value will always be a focus .
The visa issue is something that plagues us , and Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance will be important in this and other legislative issues .
We must continue to recognise and promote the importance of the event ecosystem . It ’ s in everyone ’ s best interest to provide an environment for organisers to be more successful , by a variety of metrics that measure success .
How will SISO help its membership address these issues ? We will be active listeners and responders . We will become a resource for our members to find answers to difficult questions and share case studies and avenues for success . SISO has always been highly visible and that won ’ t change . We are in a position to have first-mover advantage and I will communicate as needed to the benefit of our members . EW
What are your plans for moving SISO forward and your objectives for 2023 ? I am inheriting a well-run , highquality organisation with a great team , so in the early days there will be a lot of “ embrace and extend ”. I have always counselled new association CEOs to go on a listening tour with all key stakeholders – members , sponsors ,
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