The theme for this year’s UFI European Conference was ‘Futureproofing your Events’. Among the speakers waxing lyrical on the subject were Eddie Choi and Francis Friedman, both of who have a broad range of experience in launching events, advising organisers, driving industry research and even helping Google to make the transition into live events.

It’s a grand statement, ‘futureproofing’, but in essence the event sought to illuminate emerging trends so that organisers and companies involved in international exhibitions can plot a wise course or take corrective action in order to prepare for what lies ahead. Hybrid events, alternative venues and most importantly, a playing field marked out by rapidly evolving technology, the next generation of exhibitions will be matched in its variety only by the audience that attends.

If we are to be ready then we need to have a culture that is prepared for this change, explained Eddie Choi, managing partner at Mills Design in Singapore.