The event for the events industry

International Confex is taking place at ExCeL London on 1-2 March 2023

According to the organisers, “For 40 years Confex has delivered ideas, inspiration and a meeting ground for the events industry. Over that period, the events landscape has changed beyond recognition and International Confex has evolved with it, from ground-breaking technology, crazy feature builders, wow factor venues, standout destinations to a vivid showcase of all the elements that make events great.”

Conference programme
There are several reasons to visit Confex, such as the conference programme which contains over 150 free-to-attend conference sessions. The conference sessions are specially curated and will see key industry figures share their knowledge, experience, and wisdom.
    
This year’s conference themes are Sustainability, Marketing Innovation, Event Technology, Sales Excellence, Corporate Events and Diversity & Inclusion.
    
Sustainability focuses on the realistic and achievable steps organisers, venues and suppliers can take to help with carbon neutrality.
    
Marketing Innovation recognises that marketing messaging has changed since the pandemic, with the aim of getting audiences back to live events.
    
Event Technology highlights the advancement in event tech over the last few years and showcases the hottest technologies and innovative solutions.
    
Sales Excellence is about successful selling, which is sophisticated and demands a highly strategic approach based on emotional intelligence and consultative and collaborative skills to maximise revenues and build business relationships that last a lifetime.
    
Corporate events will investigate how to create events that are memorable, immersive, engaging and that deliver maximum ROI to business-critical strategy.
    
Diversity and Inclusion is the final theme and focuses on the importance of diversity and inclusion for success.

Exhibitors
More than 300 exhibitors will be attending the show, including suppliers, venues and service providers. Exhibitors will be demonstrating products and services and launching new products. The show offers the chance to discover inspiration and new ideas and the opportunity to find practical solutions that can be implemented in your own events.

Networking
There are also networking opportunities, with networking events and a networking bar. The networking bar is open to all attendees on both days of the event.
    
International Confex says: “In extraordinary times, let’s be extraordinary together. Confex 2023 will be where the conversations that shape the next 12 months will take place. Attend one of the many networking events or simply enjoy a drink at the networking bar, catch up with your industry friends and grow your network – that’s what Confex is all about.”

Sustainability
International Confex has a focus on sustainability. Actions being taken include reduced carpeting to limit the amount of waste going to landfill. Attention has also been given to where signage is sourced from, with a focus on recycled materials that can be recycled again post-event.
    
This year, International Confex has partnered with event:decision to assess the environmental impact of the event. A sustainability report will be published after the event, highlighting areas that could be improved upon.
    
International Confex said: “Being held accountable for the impact of your events is one of the best ways to instigate change and prompt forward-thinking.”
    
Attendees are also able to offset their travel to the event and are encouraged to find out the most sustainable way to travel to the event.

Attendee praise
Previous attendees have praised the event. Nicola Macdonald, PR director, Montgomery Events said: “International Confex is unarguably one of the must attend events in the exhibition industry calendar and this year was particularly special. It was great to be back meeting face-to-face with the who’s who of the industry, reconnecting with old friends and discovering exciting new suppliers. “
    
Mark Ford, director, Whitespace XPO said: “Each year, International Confex provides us with the ideal opportunity for the continuation of developing relationships with key individuals who are both active and influential within the events industry family - a great place to meet and share our own stories.”