M&A, Trump and Brexit on the agenda at EEAA conference

Global mergers and acquisitions, the impact of Trump and Brexit and local economic policy will be on the agenda at the Exhibition and Event Association of Australasia (EEAA) 2016 Conference. The event is to be held as an official test event at the International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney). There are just two weeks left to register for EEAA’s annual Conference and the Association has extended an invitation to the whole industry to register. EEAA chief executive, Joyce DiMascio, said the line-up of this year’s speakers will offer an international perspective on the exhibition landscape, a forecast on the performance of the economy and key industry sectors, as well as a snapshot of the differences in traditional B2B vs consumer vs pop culture and niche shows. DiMascio said: “We have a powerful line-up of speakers on the EEAA Conference stage who will offer unique insights into events and exhibitions. This content will help the Australian and New Zealand industry prepare for future growth. “Steve Monnington, managing director from Mayfield Media Strategies will make his Australian speaking debut, looking at the growth strategies of major exhibition organisers and the opportunities in emerging markets, in particular China and South East Asia versus the enduring presence of traditional and more mature US and Europe markets. “It is an honour to have Steve Monnington on stage in Australia for the first time. He is a global leader on mergers and acquisitions and it will be most beneficial to hear from him.” The EEAA 2016 Conference will also feature Paul Bloxham, chief economist from HSBC. “Paul Bloxham is one of our most popular speakers. His analysis on the recent Trump election and Brexit, plus his overview on what we can expect from the performance of the domestic economy and key industry sectors, will assist Members in making informed business decisions.” DiMascio said. “Our program also includes a workshop with James Moran from Apprenticeship Support Australia, who will address the services available to assist with the recruitment of apprentices, trainees and interns. “And we will have a panel of leading organisers including Fairfax Media, Reed Exhibitions Australia and Diversified Communications Australia to talk about trends in events and exhibitions, the relevance of the traditional exhibition model and the new need to act as the broker of business relationships. “Our conference will offer new insights into the way we do business. There are two weeks left to register and we encourage the wider business events industry to take advantage of our strong program to up-skill and look for new business growth opportunities.” The EEAA 2016 Conference will be held ahead of the exhibition and event industry’s annual Awards for Excellence. Over 58 finalists and nominees have been named across 13 categories, showcasing the talent and achievements of the year. Both the Conference and Awards for Excellence will be official test events at the new International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney) and EEAA has included tours of the venue as part of the two-day programme. Members and non-members are invited to register.