EDITOR’S LETTER
NEW BEGINNINGS
I
know, I know. Not a very original heading for a start of the year editor’s
letter.
But, 2019 really will be a year of new beginnings for many in the
industry. We reported throughout 2018 on the ‘year of private equity’,
during which billions were spent by and on our industry in multiple high
profile mergers and acquisitions.
For the people working in these organisations this will almost certainly be
a year of new experiences and challenges, but we’re sure you’ll tackle them
head-on and drive forward to even greater success.
The theme of new beginnings also extends into our cover feature this
month (p24), which tells not just one story but four. To start our journey
into 2019 we’re taking a look beyond our usual UK-centric remit and
examining some of the international stories and trends from 2018. Whether
that’s dmg opening a new office in Cairo or Reed Exhibitions transforming
a trade event into a consumer one, learnings from new ventures can always
help inform and improve the UK’s events.
As the new year kicks off, I just want to take a moment to look at the
industry as a whole. How much business has been done through our events?
How many visitors have passed through our doors? How many millions
have changed hands? This is a diverse, successful and powerful industry and
I have no doubt that 2019 will be yet another ground-breaking chapter in
our story.
Let’s get started, enjoy the issue,
NICOLA MACDONALD, EDITOR
[email protected]
exhibitionnews.co.uk | January 2019
5