Snöcap May 30, 2025
Snöball correspondent
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It's the last Friday of May and here's our final Snöcap of the week.
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The top event stories that made waves:
- More than 170 event industry leaders meet elected officials on ECA's Legislative Action Day
- ICCA partners with IFES to strengthen global events supply chain
- Messe Frankfurt (HK) to collaborate with Hangzhou Expo Group to host space exhibition in China
- Farnborough International secures 7 high-profile events for 2026
- Why hire an AI Director? Terrapinn talks to EN about their bold maneuver
- Who is hiring?
More than 170 event industry leaders meet elected officials on ECA's Legislative Action Day
Over 170 business and professional events industry leaders from 30 states met with over 130 elected officials on Capitol Hill during the Exhibitions & Conferences Alliance's annual Legislative Action Day.
The gathering represented the largest Legislative Action Day attendance in the organization's history. Participants focused on tax policy and workforce development.
The House voted May 22 to maintain several ECA-supported tax policies while creating two pathways to attract and train industry workers.
"What happens in Washington, DC is critical to the competitiveness of our industry," said Hervé Sedky, Emeritus Holding Inc. president and ECA board chair.
Industry representatives also discussed tariff impacts on business events during their meetings.
ECA will continue advocacy through its year-round ECA Advocacy Network platform. Legislative Action Day will return May 28, 2026.
Industry partners supporting the event included Freeman, Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority, Lippman Connects, CustomReg, CORT Events, The Expo Group, CNTV, The Venetian Las Vegas, Reduce2, Encore, Hargrove from Encore, MGM Resorts International, and Home & Garden Show Executives International.
ICCA partners with IFES to strengthen global events supply chain
The International Congress and Convention Association has formed a two-year partnership with the International Federation of Exhibition and Event Services to strengthen the global events supply chain.
The organizations signed a memorandum of understanding at IMEX Frankfurt this month.
The partnership connects ICCA's congress and convention network with IFES's supply chain providers. Both organizations will exchange research and educational resources while developing programs focused on sustainability and industry innovation.
"This partnership with IFES reflects ICCA's dedication to uniting all facets of the global events industry," said Dr. Senthil Gopinath, ICCA chief executive officer.
"Partnering with ICCA enables us to expand our global reach and takes a step forward in our mission to foster global collaboration across the exhibitions and events industry," said Jörg Zeissig, IFES president.
ICCA represents more than 1,100 member organizations in nearly 100 countries. IFES serves exhibition and event service providers worldwide.
Messe Frankfurt (HK) to collaborate with Hangzhou Expo Group to host space exhibition in China
Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd and Hangzhou Expo Group will cooperate to host the International Smart Space Exhibition as part of the Global Digital Trade Expo from Sept. 25-29, 2025.
The exhibition marks Messe Frankfurt Group's first event in Hangzhou, expanding the company's building technology portfolio.
"Messe Frankfurt has consistently focused on digitalisation and technological innovation in China," said Stephan Buurma, board member of Messe Frankfurt Group.
The Global Digital Trade Expo will span 150,000 square meters at the Hangzhou Grand Convention and Exhibition Center.
The International Smart Space Exhibition will showcase products across intelligent buildings, urban public spaces, commercial spaces and smart living.
The global smart space market was valued at $15.1 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $37.2 billion by 2032.
Farnborough International secures 7 high-profile events for 2026
Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre has confirmed seven events for 2026 after its busiest start to a calendar year since opening.
The venue secured Security & Policing, Defence Procurement Research Technology & Exportability, Combined Naval Event, Homebuilding & Renovating Show, Southern Manufacturing & Electronics Show, UCAS Discovery and a multi-year contract with the Big One Fishing Show.
The center has hosted more than 100,000 visitors this year with a 100% rebook rate for first and second quarter 2025 events.
"These event rebooks are a testament to the confidence our clients place in our facilities," said Sarah Marshall, venue director at Farnborough International.
Why hire an AI Director? Terrapinn talks to EN about their bold maneuver
Terrapinn recently hired Asghar Maqsood as digital and AI director, a move considered unique in the industry for creating a high-level executive position specifically focused on AI.
Terrapinn COO Sharon Roessen spoke with Exhibition News about the hire and the company's strategic reasoning.
"We started the process last summer. Now is even more relevant than back then. In the last three months everything has moved so fast," Roessen said. "AI is going to transform the workplace and possibly our industry. It will particularly transform internal processes."
The company used technology headhunters after traditional industry recruiters focused on marketing candidates. "The traditional recruiters in our industry kept coming back with marketing people – they see the word digital and AI and think it is a marketing role," Roessen said.
Maqsood brings technology experience and events industry knowledge from two years at Informa. His role will focus on streamlining processes, building AI literacy, improving event experiences and identifying revenue streams.
"In order to take advantage of AI, it needs someone full time with a strategic mind on it," Roessen said. "His role is going to be building a team around him as well."
"If other companies haven't got a tech team already, I think they are going to have to look at bringing someone in to build that," she added.
Who is hiring?
This section highlights the latest job positions in the events and associations industry. Here are some new roles that have opened up:
Galderma
Congresses & Events Senior Manager
Overstory
Events Marketing Manager
RX Middle East
Marketing Manager
RELX
Event Director
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