Show Companies: What's on Tap
-- Tradeshow Week, 8/4/2008
If there's something Hanley Wood Exhibitions President Galen Poss, 1105 Media President and CEO Neal Vitale and TechWeb Senior Vice President Eric Faurot have in common, it's that their companies are often in the news – for mergers, acquisitions, restructuring or other eye-catching moves.
Because these news makers seem to be ahead of the curve, Assistant Editor Stephanie Corbin caught up with them to see what's next for their companies.
Question: What's on the horizon for your company?
Faurot: “We are going to increase the amount of online technology around our events.” That includes building out the strong online communities TechWeb's already established for its events into other areas where the company can attract people. TechWeb's also launching webinars and is looking to extend some of the brands into virtual shows.
Q: Are there any new countries you want to branch into?
Poss: “We get approached frequently.” But Hanley Wood probably will stay with its current strategy because to move into new international markets, a company often needs to make a big footprint by investing heavily. “You can't go 'kind of' international.”
Faurot: TechWeb recently announced its Interop brand would launch Interop Mumbai in Mumbai, India, in February. Interop Sao Paulo will be held for the first time this year, Aug. 12-14, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. “They're just the fastest growing parts of the world right now, especially in IT.” It's where TechWeb's customers want to expand their businesses.
Q: Are you expecting more growth or changes in any of your key sectors?
Vitale: Government – where 1105 has several shows, including the GovSec, U.S. Law and the Ready! Conference & Exhibition series – is having a tough year because the upcoming presidential election has everything frozen for awhile. “I'm hoping we're going to see change there, in a positive fashion.” Education, another sector 1105 has shows, is having a “terrific” year. “We may launch an international event in that area (education) in Latin America as well.”
Poss: “The housing and building industry … is somewhat under stress.” But, with all the houses that aren't being built right now, “I think when it comes back, it's going to come back very strong. ... That's just pent-up demand that's going into a reservoir.”
Q: Is the company looking for more acquisitions?
Vitale: Always. “We're looking at international opportunities that could exist, and where there are opportunities. ... We're looking for things that are complementary to the business that we're in.”
