“In a World of Algorithms
and Acceleration, Trust
Remains the True Currency of Exhibitions”
ES. Matthias, with over 24 years in the global B2B and trade fair industry, how would you describe the evolution of exhibitions in today’s interconnected business world?
Matthias Tesi Baur. In the last 25 years, I’ve seen several events that have truly shaped our industry. The first one was undoubtedly the emergence of the modern internet around 1999. It was a real revolution, with all the positives and negatives such a major shift brings. Suddenly, people could exchange business information, services, and even money in seconds instead of days or months. The good news at the time was that the core of our industry—the desire to meet face to face—emerged even stronger after this change. We might be quicker at transacting business, but we still need live events to build trust. That’s the fuel that has kept exhibitions going, even thriving, in modern times. Now, we’re at the beginning of the next revolution: AI. And again, this revolution brings a lot of light—but also some shadows. The biggest difference this time is that the speed of business transactions is no longer just about people interacting faster. There’s now a third player: the algorithm. As this player becomes more diverse through different services, more intelligent, and therefore more “opinionated” about which products and services should be seen as successful in the market, our way of doing business—and of building an industry community—will shift dramatically once more. We’ll see incredible new opportunities, but also algorithms that will disrupt our businesses. In two years, we’ll likely see trade shows offering matchmaking we can’t even imagine right now. The world will be different—but I’m confident our face-to-face industry will grow stronger through this change as well. Because at the end of the day, we still want to build the trust needed to do business with a handshake, not just an algorithm.
ES. How do you see traditional trade fair business models evolving in the face of changing buyer behaviour and expectations?
Matthias Tesi Baur. I can sum it up with a simple formula: much more targeted interaction will lead to much more business! We’re all getting busier every year. Time has become our most valuable currency. AI will help make our show visits more efficient—and more enjoyable. The day isn’t far off when I register for the next EEA Award and my Event Assistant asks if it should book a restaurant in Mumbai with my friend Ravinder-because it recognises we had dinner together at the same event last year. Business contacts, nurturing industry friendships, and staying on top of the latest developments will increasingly happen automatically—for those who know how to use the AI tools that are already available to us.
ES. What technologies or digital strategies do you think are underutilized in the exhibitions space today?
Matthias Tesi Baur. During my presentation in Mumbai at the last EEA Awards, I demonstrated how an exhibition sales professional can reduce the time spent generating and following up on leads by 80%. That alone has the potential to be a small revolution in itself. If I can make my sales department five times more effective, I gain a major competitive advantage and increase my margins—giving me the budget power to invest in the quality of my trade show. I also showcased how a country like India could sell its trade shows to exhibitors that organisers don’t even know yet. These are just two examples of how technology can improve the trade show cycle. The good news is that all organisers—large and small—can use these technologies. They’re not expensive. But right now, we’re overwhelmed with so many opportunities. At the same time, there are many suppliers who claim to offer artificial intelligence, but their tools are far from intelligent. A digital or AI strategy must focus on identifying the tools that truly add value to the process-enhancing both customer satisfaction and return on investment.
ES. With the lines blurring between industries — tech, healthcare, sustainability, etc. – how important do you think is cross-sector collaboration in building next-gen B2B platforms?
Matthias Tesi Baur. That really depends on the sector and target group. I’m not a believer in one-size-fits-all approaches. Some cross-sector shows, like CES, generate enormous attention from both visitors and exhibitors by achieving much broader media reach than other events. That’s a powerful formula—when you deliver on exhibitor ROI, and many shows can take a lesson from that, but this formula might not work for all shows and sectors. So, my answer is that cross-sector collaboration can work but isn’t necessarily the key for all sectors. However, in today’s world—especially with the impact of social media—reach is what matters most.
ES. . Indian organizers are increasingly exploring global collaborations. What are some models of successful international partnerships you’ve seen in action?
Matthias Tesi Baur. I have set up global partnerships and joint ventures for over 20 years. The most successful model is when one partner brings strong local contacts and a well-established show, while the other contributes an international—or even global—sales network. It is often important to overcome legal and cultural differences but once this is done, a partnership between local knowledge and global sales power can be strong.
