Looking back to the early years of ISE, was there a specific moment or occurrence where you realised the ultimate potential of the show and saw how it was likely to develop to the size and scale of today’s event?
Straight after our first show in Geneva in 2004. That was when I thought, “we may be on to something big here”. I mean, I saw the potential before I came on-board, but after the show I saw its huge potential growth.
Europe needed a dedicated pro AV and systems integration show and ISE answered the call perfectly, providing a great platform for companies to showcase their latest innovations and foster relationships in the industry.
From a personal and organisational perspective, what were the main challenges that occurred as the show began to grow very rapidly year-on-year in the 2000s?
We knew early on that we would have to find a more convenient location in Europe after our first show in Geneva. This is why we moved to Amsterdam and made the RAI our home for a few years.
The show floor more than doubled, the attendance more than doubled, and so that was a very strong message in support of the show. Of course, we’re now in Barcelona as we outgrew the RAI, and now the Fira de Barcelona Gran Via provides us a fantastic venue to grow.
The pandemic was a watershed for pro AV in many senses, but to what extent do you think the significance and atmosphere of the show has changed since it began to recede? And although obviously no one wanted it to happen, was the hiatus useful in some ways in terms of strategising the long-term future of the show?
Our first show back pre-pandemic had a really special feel about it. There was so much positive energy at the show, and we received fantastic feedback from attendees.
People were just happy to be together again and return to some sort of normal after being apart for so long. We were all back being able to do what we love. I think it’s made sure we don’t take this for granted now.
Going into the first Barcelona show with pandemic concerns still a worry, how anxious were you that the show would regain its pre-Covid success? And what were the elements that you were most conscious of optimising as the event embarked upon its post-Amsterdam era?
There were concerns in 2021, but we’ve seen the bounce back in every single industry for trade shows. Industry figures are showing that everybody’s reporting strong figures returning to pre-2020 [pandemic] times. Certainly, for us, we exceeded pre-2020 with 58,000 people [in 2023]. We think that was a very, very good result.
And doing our surveys of the non-attendees, what we saw was a huge feeling and feedback from those who didn’t come that they want to come in the future and are planning to attend in 2024.
So yes – trade shows are back. Integrated Systems Europe is back. We’re seeing a very, very strong attendance and satisfied exhibitors.
AI in particular seems destined to be a key theme at this show. How do you think its representation at ISE will develop in the next few years as the technology has a transformative effect on the industry – in ways that are likely to be both anticipated and difficult to predict?
I’m sure AI’s representation at ISE is likely to undergo a transformative evolution in the coming years. We’re seeing it in so many areas of our lives now. From intelligent analytics optimising content delivery to advanced machine learning algorithms improving user experiences, the applications of AI in the industry are multi-faceted.
The representation of AI at ISE will not only showcase current advancements, but also serve as a glimpse into the unpredictable yet promising future of the industry.
Finally, could you give us a hint as to how you would like to see the scope and reach of the event develop in the next few years?
We have big plans for the future of the show, especially now that we have the room to grow at the Fira de Barcelona Gran Via. As technology continues to evolve at such a rapid pace, we’ll never be short on innovations for the show.
