First published in Exhibition World Issue 4 August / September 2024

Trevor Foley, Chairman of tfconnect, is very bullish on the career opportunities now presenting themselves in our sector

Well, we knew that 2024 was going to be a positive year for the industry! Halfway through, this is certainly the case in all areas and for all indices of the business. This, of course, is a good thing for peoples’ careers in the industry.

What we know from the first half of the year is that business travel continues to boom, as do industry events, with record attendances and high levels for rebooks that already point towards another great year for the industry in 2025.

Characteristically in the first half of the year, we have seen strong launches, relaunches and continued growth in sector-leading events. Events serving our own sectors have been testament to that growth such as Northstar’s Meetings Shows, IMEX and those run by the various industry associations around the world. In addition, we are seeing lots of ‘buzz’ on LinkedIn and plenty of talent/career talk with organisers, venues and contractors alike. We see many industry players hiring for the traditional roles of Event Directors / Managers, Portfolio heads, regional leaders and Sales & Marketing roles. What is equally good news is that there is always a top pool of candidates who are very much available for these roles at mid and senior levels. With continually growing confidence, we are also seeing many companies now looking to hire for succession planning purposes.

It is equally good to see that some industry players are successfully recruiting from outside our industry, bringing new talent and experience into our space. A particular case in point is the NEC in Birmingham, UK. New CEO, Mel Smith, has been dealing with a much-needed culture change in the business, a hangover from Public Sector ownership days, and is hiring for dozens of positions. The speed of change is impressive and successful candidates are joining the NEC from inside and outside the industry.

Additionally, the heat continues to rise on M&A activity in the industry. Hiring the right people to make sure that top calibre teams are in situ for the various ‘beauty parades’, is also taking place.

We continue to hear of growth in all areas of the global industry other than mainland China. Also many associations are reporting significant growth in long-term events as communities become more and more supportive of their sector events.

Perhaps the greatest challenge at the moment lies in finding time to take a breath! Behind the front lines, there is also progress in key areas such as diversity, health & safety and sustainability. All of this is good news for new careers in our industry. Our industry knows that it needs to continue to have ‘wins’ in these areas, such that our clients and stakeholders continue to support what we do.

Taking sustainability as a case in point, we know that the more we can do to connect buyers and sellers at our events, through 1-2-1 meeting offerings, speed networking etc, the more we achieve in helping our customers meet more efficiently and effectively in one place.

Finally, perhaps the greatest current plus point for our medium, is that of now being the main, or even the only environment where ‘cold calling’ is possible. With reaching potential customers ever more difficult, even impossible, by phone or email, the trade show or conference floor comes ever more into its own as the ultimate environment for connecting buyers and sellers.