the September 2008 Issue in PDF Format - Trade Show Executive
the September 2008 Issue in PDF Format - Trade Show Executive
the September 2008 Issue in PDF Format - Trade Show Executive
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Cont<strong>in</strong>ued from page 22<br />
Bob: What are you do<strong>in</strong>g to help<br />
exhibitors deal with escalat<strong>in</strong>g costs<br />
associated with exhibitions?<br />
Mike: Several th<strong>in</strong>gs: we leverage our<br />
buy<strong>in</strong>g power for our customer’s benefit.<br />
We advise <strong>the</strong>m on how to participate,<br />
look<strong>in</strong>g at exhibit packages to fur<strong>the</strong>r<br />
reduce <strong>the</strong>ir total cost. By stay<strong>in</strong>g close to<br />
customers, we are better able to provide<br />
solutions that do not necessarily <strong>in</strong>volve<br />
<strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>ir real estate impr<strong>in</strong>t. More<br />
and more, our exhibitors come to us for<br />
assistance with <strong>the</strong>ir global market<strong>in</strong>g<br />
programs – and that’s wonderful. In<br />
essence, <strong>the</strong>ir global trade is <strong>in</strong>tertw<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
with our exhibitions.<br />
Bob: Do you still manage associationowned<br />
shows?<br />
Mike: Yes, but less than we used to. We<br />
have management contracts but more<br />
often partnerships and jo<strong>in</strong>t ventures.<br />
Depend<strong>in</strong>g on where you are <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> world,<br />
<strong>the</strong>y are very important to entry <strong>in</strong>to a<br />
marketplace and event success.<br />
Bob: How do you identify and<br />
develop future leaders with<strong>in</strong> Reed<br />
Exhibitions?<br />
Mike: We are spend<strong>in</strong>g more time<br />
develop<strong>in</strong>g our management team and<br />
enhanc<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>ir career paths. Our<br />
first requirement for any growth is<br />
to have managers available to handle<br />
it successfully. We have a variety of<br />
programs with<strong>in</strong> certa<strong>in</strong> skill areas, and we<br />
take advantage of Reed Elsevier’s many<br />
management programs. We also send<br />
people to advanced courses at schools<br />
such as Harvard University.<br />
Bob: Who were your mentors along<br />
<strong>the</strong> way?<br />
Mike: I would say that I enjoyed work<strong>in</strong>g<br />
with or for quite a number of f<strong>in</strong>e people<br />
over <strong>the</strong> years, whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong>y were at Clapp<br />
& Poliak, Cahners, Reed Exhibitions or<br />
Reed Elsevier. You pick up great skills and<br />
knowledge – and th<strong>in</strong>gs not to do – from<br />
all of <strong>the</strong>se contributors over <strong>the</strong> years.<br />
Bob: What advice would you give<br />
a middle-management trade show<br />
executive?<br />
Mike: The trade show <strong>in</strong>dustry worldwide<br />
is a multi-billion dollar <strong>in</strong>dustry<br />
comprised of talented people but <strong>the</strong>y<br />
often wouldn’t have known about <strong>the</strong><br />
bus<strong>in</strong>ess if <strong>the</strong>y hadn’t fallen <strong>in</strong>to it. It’s<br />
fast-grow<strong>in</strong>g and excit<strong>in</strong>g with enormous<br />
potential for career growth. We need<br />
more of those k<strong>in</strong>ds of people and we<br />
need <strong>the</strong>m to stay once <strong>the</strong>y jo<strong>in</strong> us. It’s<br />
quite a multi-faceted <strong>in</strong>dustry today, and<br />
we are hir<strong>in</strong>g people who “don’t look like<br />
us”, i.e. those with different specialist skill<br />
sets. I’ve enjoyed my time <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>dustry<br />
and highly commend it to those already<br />
here and those consider<strong>in</strong>g jo<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g us.<br />
Bob: What keeps you up at night?<br />
Mike: It’s dangerous to make <strong>the</strong><br />
statements I’m about to make, as<br />
comments like <strong>the</strong>se have a nasty habit<br />
of com<strong>in</strong>g back to bite one <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
future. That said, as far as I see Reed<br />
Exhibitions and our <strong>in</strong>dustry right now,<br />
<strong>the</strong>re isn’t anyth<strong>in</strong>g out <strong>the</strong>re to upset<br />
our momentum. What potentially could<br />
impact us spr<strong>in</strong>gs from our own <strong>in</strong>ternal<br />
management challenges, i.e. enough of<br />
<strong>the</strong> right people to manage our growth.<br />
M<strong>in</strong>d you, I’m very focused on any<br />
possible Achilles’ Heel, know<strong>in</strong>g that it<br />
could come from with<strong>in</strong> as well as from<br />
outside. One of our strengths is that we<br />
have “stuck to our knitt<strong>in</strong>g” and executed<br />
well on what we know best. Right now,<br />
<strong>the</strong> challenge is be<strong>in</strong>g able to ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> our<br />
growth levels and doubl<strong>in</strong>g our bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />
down <strong>the</strong> road.<br />
Reach Mike Rusbridge at +44 208 910<br />
7901 or mike.rusbridge@reedexpo.co.uk<br />
Worldwide leaders. Paul Zilk, president of Reed Midem; Paul Beh, president of Reed Exhibitions Asia/<br />
South Pacific; and Rusbridge have good reason to smile as <strong>the</strong> company is enjoy<strong>in</strong>g robust global growth.<br />
Bob Dallmeyer is<br />
Past Chairman of<br />
both <strong>the</strong> International<br />
Association of<br />
Exhibitions and<br />
Events (IAEE)<br />
and <strong>the</strong> <strong>Trade</strong><br />
<strong>Show</strong> Exhibitors<br />
Association (TSEA),<br />
as well as a former Bob Dallmeyer<br />
Director of <strong>the</strong><br />
Center for Exhibition Industry Research<br />
(CEIR). In 2006, he was <strong>in</strong>ducted <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong><br />
Convention Industry Council’s “Hall of<br />
Leaders.” Contact Bob at 323-934-8300 or<br />
bdallmeyer@tradeshowexecutive.com<br />
24 <strong>September</strong> <strong>2008</strong> <strong>Trade</strong> <strong>Show</strong> <strong>Executive</strong> www.<strong>Trade</strong><strong>Show</strong><strong>Executive</strong>.com