Welcome to The Exhibition Think Tank Club, a global platform for Exhibition Industry professionals to network, debate & continue helping the industry to move on and upwards.
Thank you Exhibition Innovation Supporters!
Discover new exhibition strategies & innovations by joining ETT new mission and events throughout February-March! A Think Tank, Panel Discussions and Group work to discuss ideas, innovate and network with other industry professionals from all regions in the world.
Join our events and register here!
Mission sponsor:
Join Networking Groups
All ett club Members can join Groups to network with other members who share similar interests and specialities. Join as many as you like. Click below to explore the groups relating to each topic...
Upcoming Events
Chose from a wide range of events from panel discussions, Sprint sessions, Think Tanks, and more...
ETT Mentoring Programme
Ongoing
Why should I become a member?
The Exhibition Think Tank Club is a worldwide e-platform for Exhibition Industry professional to network, debate & continue helping the industry to move on and upwards.
Members are industry peers from different sectors and countries gathering together and sharing their expertise, vision and insights (individual, team or company membership options).
Make the Exhibition Think Tank your resource to stay ahead of all industry developments and to be your network platform for the industry.
As a member you will have priority access to a wide range of online, hybrid and physical events to collaborate, innovate and network including:
- Recurrent online discussions on specific Industry’s hot topics
- Recurrent online networking sessions which we will conduct topic and/or language based
- Specific and tailored educational online courses
- Online Single Sprint (including 2 sessions) with market survey, data analysis and results presentation, followed by groups work on identified concerns and final white paper
- Think Tank on specific topic (run for the whole industry or on-demand for company/teams)
- Virtual and/or physical social events
- Articles and Newsletters
Make the Exhibition Think Tank your resource to stay ahead of all industry developments and to be your network platform for the industry.
Latest Reports
As an ett club Member you can access a range of reports, analysis, and presentations
Panel Discussion: How can we help Ukraine? – Report
The Think Tank Executive Briefings are online sessions that provide a holistic update on the key innovations, trends and solutions that have been discussed and developed during all ETT sessions over the last quarter.
* Gold and Company Members have access to ALL materials. Basic members can access materials relating to the events they have atten ded.
Join the Exhibition
Think Tank Club
Boost your network by joining us…
Join the ett club to collaborate, innovate and network with global industry peers in discussion rounds, topic sprints, think tanks and live events to address and develop all exhibition related themes from hybrid events to talent acquisition.
Never miss an innovation trend and ensure you’re on top of the latest developments.
ett club Team Leaders
Tamar Beck
Team Leader/Mentor
Tamar Beck
Team Leader/Mentor
CEO, Gleanin
Burkhard Bluemner
Team Leader
Burkhard Bluemner
Team LeaderMy first professional job in the exhibition branch was that of a project manager for the company BroadMesse International Ltd.. This gave me the chance to work at many different exhibitions in Germany and also in France. At the moment I am working for Messe München GmbH as a customer advisor. I have successfully passed the UFI-Exhibition Management School and because of that I would like to support the EMS-Group at the ETT-Club.
Alison Church
Team Leader/Mentor
Alison Church
Team Leader/MentorMarketing Director, UK & Global, Easyfairs
Alison is an experienced event marketing professional with 22 years' experience encompassing conferences, exhibitions, awards, publications, marketing and PR. She is as passionate about delivering exceptional events to both exhibitors and visitors as she is about travelling the world in her spare time.
As CMO at Easyfairs UK & Global, she ensures best practice and effective marketing strategies across its event & publications portfolio, including shows run in the UK, France, Spain, Portugal, Algeria, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland and Italy; as well as driving digital growth strategies and monetisation.
Before joining Easyfairs, Alison spent nine years at Venture Marketing Group working on its exhibitions, conferences, awards and publications, with a particular emphasis on building high level and valuable content across all products. Her early career included roles as a conference producer at Centaur and PR account director.
Berislav Čižmek
Team Leader
Berislav Čižmek
Team LeaderBerislav Čižmek, Founder & CEO of CBBS, management consulting/brokerage/EU lobbying company focused on trade fair consulting, brokerage and lobbying activities. He is a long term member of UFI (The Global Association of Trade Fair Industry) and accredited lobbyist at European Parliament, with more than 25 years of experience in the international trade fair and MICE industry, as organizer, venue owner and consultant/broker.
Trade Fair/MICE/Event Industry experience/references:
- Till 2007 Member of the Board/top management of the Zagreb Fair (one of the leading Central/Eastern European trade fair companies in 80’ and 90’, venue owner and organizer of international trade fairs).
- Organizer of 500 international trade fairs and EXPO/Lisbon 98 (1st participation of Croatia in EXPO events), in the period from 2001 – 2006 Chairman of the Marketing Committee at UFI (The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry).
- From 2007 – 2021 EU lobbyist, consultant/broker in the international trade fair/MICE industry. Excellent relations with the leading international trade fair companies, focused on strategic partnerships/M&A, JV projects and international developments. Member of UFI Industry Partners Working Group (since 2018) and Founding Member of Exhibitions Think Tank Club (since 2020).
Mark Eddy
Team Leader/Mentor
Mark Eddy
Team Leader/MentorManaging Director, Newtork Consultancy Group
With over 25 years of experience in the exhibition and events industry, a proven track record of increasing business performance over time, expertise in managing and building international commercial teams, and a clear vision and passion to unite through a shared set of values and purpose.
In addition to a focus on leadership culture, strategic sales goals, and challenging entrenched thinking, Mark is a champion of ESG initiatives and heads up the ETT's sustainability group.
Mark is currently running his own consultancy, but previously served on the EMEA board of GES, a NYSE-listed creative agency and service partner to some of the biggest brands in the live events industry, for 13 years as Chief Commercial Officer.
Finally, Mark is proud to be a dyslexic thinker, a trait that is becoming more widely recognised and valued in the workplace – the ability to think flexibly, creatively, and solve extremely complex problems by thinking differently.
Stephan Forseilles
Team Leader/Mentor
Stephan Forseilles
Team Leader/Mentor
Group Chief Technology Officer, Easyfairs
Group Chief Technology Officer for “Easyfairs”. After studying computer sciences and a first life in the telecoms world, Stephan joined the exhibition industry 15 years ago. He is currently Group Chief Technology Officer for Easyfairs. He is also active in industry initiatives like UFI’s Digital Innovation Workgroup and MBB Consulting’s Exhibitions Think Tank. A regular speaker at live and online gatherings on event technology and digital transformation, he is passionate about helping the industry to get in better shape and more customer-oriented for the future.
Wilbert Heijmans
Team Leader/Mentor
Wilbert Heijmans
Team Leader/MentorWilbert Heijmans
Managing Director, Info Salons Group
Wilbert has been a show organiser since 1999 running leading events in Europe, Far East and Middle East before becoming a service provider at Info Salons and now looks after the group with offices in Australia, Malaysia, Greater China and UAE. Wilbert is a business developer with adding and growing value for clients in mind.
Wilbert has been living in Dubai since 2007.
Jean-Nicolas Mannoni
Team Leader
Jean-Nicolas Mannoni
Team LeaderJean-Nicolas Mannoni is Partnership Manager and teacher at ICD Business School on the Event Management Bachelor in Paris, Vice-President of MPI (Meeting Professional International) France – Switzerland Chapter and Freelance. Jean-Nicolas is passionate about exhibitions and event problematics. He analyses the industry and the operators to better train students and make education for students and professionals more adapted to the industry needs. He also contribute to promote responsible events and integrate green technologies and the youth to event design and create a better and more efficient experience for the brands and the publics. Jean-Nicolas is leading three open groups, “Event Students” to make them meet and collaborate, Event Education for professionals and teacher to invent a better way to train the youth, and Education Events to share the work of the two groups to every people interested on joining the Event Industry and improving skills.
Chiara Palieri
Team Leader
Chiara Palieri
Team LeaderChiara Palieri
Adviser MICE, Royal Commission for Riyadh City
Chiara Palieri is an award-winning MICE Advisor who has been featured by CNN, Arab News, Euronews and World Finance and she is an influential speaker for Gen Y issues, education and women in leadership.
As the only UFI Certified Advisor to the Saudi government, Chiara proudly serves the Royal Commission for Riyadh City as Advisor to His Excellency the President Fahd Al Rasheed on MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions), fuelled by an ambition to make Riyadh one of the top MICE destinations globally by 2030.
Equipped with 11 years of best-in-class MICE experience as Executive Producer that spans across 8 countries, Chiara has produced IPs and managed more than 50 high calibre LSEs for government entities, top PCOs/PEOs and Fortune 500 companies.
As a powerful global connector, she has worked with an unparalleled network of royalties, VVIPs, heads of state, investors and influential individuals, including H.R.H. Prince Charles, Angela Merkel, Michelle Obama, Viviane Reding, Melanne Verveer, Abdullah Juma'ah (Former CEO Saudi Aramco), Giorgio Napolitano and Mario Monti.
Awards and previous roles include: Charle Magne Youth Prize Award for Italy (European Parliament), Young Italian in the World- Excellence Award, One Young World and UN World Youth Conference Ambassador, WHO Ambassador, Youth Advisor for the European Commission, Global Changemaker by the British Council, Candidate for the Young European of the Year.As an activist, Chiara speaks on stages around the world, including Women's Forum on Economy and Society, TEDx and the World Innovation Summit for Education, among others.
Having made excellence her brand, Chiara has been widely recognized as industry leader in high-level conference production and management (specializing in Ministerial and Government protocol), B2B/B2C MICE LSEs, press and external relations, international affairs and public speaking; a sought-after, high-level global conference advisor
Mark Parsons
Team Leader/Mentor
Mark Parsons
Team Leader/MentorManaging Director & Founder of Events Intelligence
Mark Parsons runs Events Intelligence, a little big data business which uses machine learning to understand similarities between companies and find new exhibitors at scale. For the last five years he has supported the strategy and deal teams at major organisers using data-led origination tactics. He has also worked with organisers to drive data-led thinking through structured workshops and training specifically focused on the fields of data science and M&A origination. He is a Chartered Accountant, holds an Executive MBA from London Business School, an MSc in Data Science from NYU Stern, and is presently studying for an MST in Entrepreneurship at Cambridge University. He lives in Warsaw.
Ashley Roberts
Team Leader/Mentor
Ashley Roberts
Team Leader/MentorAshley Roberts
General Manager, CONNECT
A seasoned exhibition professional having worked in the exhibition industry for over 22 years with experience in launching and growing events across several continents globally.
I currently head CONNECT, an exhibition business with events in the Sultanate of Oman, United Arab Emirates and the State of Qatar.
An area that I am particularly passionate about is investing in the current and future talent in our industry; through the sharing of best practice and real-world experiences, and facilitating networking in the global exhibition industry.
Catalin Trifu
Team Leader
Catalin Trifu
Team LeaderCatalin Trifu
Almost 30 years experience in the events field, more recently working on different projects with Exhibition Consultants Ltd. (ECL), the specialist exhibitions and events consultancy division of the London based Angus Montgomery Group of companies.
Previously worked for more than 20 years with Romexpo - Bucharest International Fair (the main trade show organiser in Romania) in different roles, ending up as Director General in 2014.
Presently involved in EU - funded projects development and implementation with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Bacau, Romania. Other specific services of the Chamber provided to its members.
Founding Member of the Exhibition Think Tank Club
Ian Tomson-Smith
Team Leader
Ian Tomson-Smith
Team LeaderIan Tomson-Smith
Ian’s Company, Eagle View Digital Solutions, has worked Globally for over 10 years enabling Events to truly understand the Return on Investment to Organisers, Exhibitors Sponsors and Visitors.
Examples include Cannes Lions, Money2020, World Retail Forum, HP and across UK venues such as NEC Olympia & Excel,
By empowering ,understanding and creating event data, Eagle View delivers real time behavioural data and ROI platforms that enable informed decision making by all parties through visually engaging platforms.
Having started developing and delivering Award winning applications for mobiles in the pre iPhone era ( yes they did exist! ) Ian had a long heritage of designing, building and managing teams in delivering consultative led digital and mobile solutions .
The key to any successful engagement is in your relationship with your customer. Eagle View has always strived to ensure their services are seen as partnerships with common goals and objectives, whilst ensuring their advice, and solutions are based in “total” Industry Knowledge. What’s now and will be. . .
Membership Options
Basic Membership
Individual- 1 Member entitlement
- Entitled to discounts on paid events and reports
- Personalised ETT club logo & banners
- Access to all networking public groups on ETT club
Gold Membership
Individual- 1 member entitlement
- FREE or prioritised access to most ETT Club events
- FREE access to all ETT Club events- and video reports
- Exclusive Gold members-only events
- Personalised ETT club logo & banners
- Discounts on MBB reports
- Exclusive discounts on education courses
- Access to all networking public groups on ETT Club
- Option to become a group leader
Innovation Supporter Package
- Complimentary Gold Memberships
- Get all the benefits from the Gold Membership
- Invitation to all Executive Briefings
- Tailored solutions available
- Listed in the directory of Innovation supporter on ETT website
- Optional: Logo “Exhibition Innovation Supporter” to be placed on your website
- Optional: Email signature logo
NextGen GOLD Membership
Individual Students and Young Professional (under 27)Annually (£3.50/month in the 1st year) - NextGen Offer
- All the benefits of a Gold Membership
Enterprise Membership
Corporate Multi-user- All the benefits of a Company Membership with the addition of tailored solutions for your organisation
