Event Industry News Podcast

James Dixon speaks with Penny Banks, Creative Director at GES, about the launch of Show Ready - The Edit, a curated range of four modular exhibition designs (Khan, Luter, Vico, Rho) aimed at the 30–50 sqm exhibition stand sweet spot. The episode covers the product’s circular design principles, recycled materials and integrated LED flooring, plus faster builds, configurable layouts and operational benefits for exhibitors and show organisers.

Recorded at Stream7 to mark Event Industry News’ 15th anniversary, this episode brings together event producers, staffing experts and broadcasters to share real-world stories and practical insights. Guests discuss Wildfire’s show‑stopping props (yes, hovercrafts), the role of temporary staff and people-first culture, and how production teams add value through problem‑solving and client focus. Conversation covers the technical side — live streaming, connectivity and production checks — alongside softer but crucial topics: wellbeing, inclusivity, teamwork and the power of adaptable, multi‑skilled crews. Listen for practical tips, examples of great on-site professionalism, and resources from Event Industry News and Stream7 for anyone involved in planning and running live events. To keep up to date with all the news, subscribe for free here. If you would like to take part in a podcast, then please complete our submission form.

delighted to record this episode in person at the Stream7 studios in Sheffield. Joining us for the conversation was a brilliant panel of Northern-based event professionals, all members of the fantastic NOWIE community: Emily Woods, Marketing at Stream7 Lia Baron, expert in end-to-end event management Hannah Pugh, Freelance Event Manager and AAA 30Under30 Evie Booth, Events & Marketing Freelancer Together, they shared their journeys into the world of events, what they love most about the industry, and how being part of NOWIE has supported their careers and networking opportunities. We explored the importance of transferable skills, the common ground that connects their different paths, and even had a lively discussion about Sheffield’s legendary Tramlines festival. (And yes, we might have asked the big question - who really knows how to use a ratchet strap?) It’s an insightful, fun, and inspiring episode, and we want to give a huge shout out to NOWIE – we’re proud to be corporate members and encourage you to find out more at nowie.org. We can’t wait to check back in with these fantastic women in the future to hear how their journeys continue to unfold. To keep up to date with all the news, subscribe for free here. If you would like to take part in a podcast, then please complete our submission form.

Recorded at Stream7’s Sheffield HQ as part of Event Industry News’ 15th anniversary series, James Dixon sits down with long-time listener and big fan of the podcast, Andy Jeffries. They explore Stream7’s journey from event broadcasting to hybrid solutions, how the team adapted during the pandemic, and their role across live, virtual, and festival productions. The episode dives into working with event platforms, lessons learned from the virtual pivot, the Greenbelt festival project, team growth, and plenty of practical insight into delivering modern AV and streaming for events of every scale. The Stream7 team will be exhibiting at Event Tech Live at Excel, London this November, be sure to meet with them there! To keep up to date with all the news, subscribe for free here. If you would like to take part in a podcast, then please complete our submission form.

In this episode of the Event Industry News podcast, host James Dixon is joined by Matt Pearce, the CEO of Talk2 Media and Events, to delve into the dynamics of the Asia-Pacific Incentives and Meetings Event (AIME 2025). Held in Melbourne, Australia, AIME is recognised as the leading business event in the Asia-Pacific region, drawing in 675 exhibitors from 30 countries and facilitating nearly 20,000 meetings. Exploring the evolution of the event industry with insights into networking, the growing impact of AI, and the shift towards sustainability, this episode demonstrates that AIME is not just a trade show, but a hub of innovation and collaboration in the business events sector.   To keep up to date with all the news, subscribe for free here. If you would like to take part in a podcast, then please complete our submission form.

In this episode of the Event Industry News Podcast, host James Dixon welcomes Carly Gibbs, recently appointed as the Head of Customer Experience at Olympia Events. Carly shares insights into her new role, discussing her extensive background in the events industry and how it shapes her approach to enhancing guest experiences at the iconic London venue. With exciting developments underway at Olympia, Carly explains the shift towards viewing the venue as a comprehensive cultural destination, complete with new music halls, theaters, dining options, and office spaces. She highlights the importance of understanding and catering to diverse customer demographics to create seamless, memorable journeys for everyone who visits Olympia. Carly emphasises the significance of collaboration among various departments and partners to align with the venue's evolving brand identity and customer expectations. Listen in to discover how Carly plans to integrate both modern and heritage elements to elevate Olympia's unique status while ensuring that every interaction with the brand is exceptional.   To keep up to date with all the news, subscribe for free here. If you would like to take part in a podcast, then please complete our submission form.  

Managing director Craig Mathie founded full-service event production agency Project 30 in 2022, after nearly 12 years as MD with Bournemouth 7s Festival.   In conversation with host and friend Adam Parry, Craig gives a detailed background to the thinking, decisions, and numbers that bore Project 30. Not just the want to run his own business but to do things a bit differently, and how that’s paying dividend – Bournemouth 7s, London Marathon and Glastonbury Festival among the Project 30 clients.   A free-flowing conversation, this episode takes in so much - the power of partnership, the currency of authenticity, behaviours the events industry should be challenging or dismantling, and how to choose who to support - by way of examples…   To keep up to date with all the news, subscribe for free here. If you would like to take part in a podcast, then please complete our submission form.

Event strategist and consultant at ElectraLime Marketing, a company she founded in 2009, Lisa Schulteis is also a director of the North West Event Show. Coming to the sector from working as a neuropsychology technician isn’t the most traditional route, but using those skills to analyse show content for optimal brain function, unlocking the secrets of neuroscience in event design, has proved to be an extraordinary asset. This episode sees Lisa reunited with host Adam Parry, who she has worked with at Event Tech Live and Event Sustainability Live, discussing attention spans and how organisers can get people back in the groove. Across a fascinating 40 minutes, Lisa and Adam look at ‘pattern interrupts’, combating the scrolling impulse, gamification, energising audiences after breaks/lunches, and memory mapping. Listen out for examples of events getting it right on one hand, and bad choices, such as over-stimulation, on the other. It’s all here…   To keep up to date with all the news, subscribe for free here. If you would like to take part in a podcast, then please complete our submission form.

Duncan Strain started Silent Noize 16 years ago. A gamechanger. In this episode, Duncan talks host Adam Parry through the journey from promoting Birmingham club nights to hearing about headphones for events from his business partner, launching Silent Noize and the circumstances/breakthroughs that led to the Silent Seminars offshoot some 10 years later. Duncan, and Adam, remember the impact of introducing headphones to an early edition of Event Tech Live, at the Old Truman Brewery, and how the idea has become almost ubiquitous across the model since – at home and, increasingly, abroad. The conversation takes in Goa beaches, Silent Seminars providing for silent yoga and meditation too, event wellness rooms, immersive experiences, cinemas, the spoils of headphones for students and staying in front of wireless earbuds. It covers new partnerships, the challenges running/expanding Silent Seminars, picking the right people, the enormity of the US market, and beyond.   To keep up to date with all the news, subscribe for free here. If you would like to take part in a podcast, then please complete our submission form.

A part of the event industry for as long as he can remember, in some form or other, latterly Chris Carver is co-founder and CEO at Florida-based content/speaker management platform Sessionboard.   Beyond the traditional background detail, Chris’s work with non-profits, the Covid tipping point et al, this episode is a fascinating focus on Sessionboard’s latest element, AI Evaluations.   With questions from host Adam Parry, Chris highlights the artificial intelligence impact on evaluating content workflow and indexing, why he’s introducing AI Evaluations now and how it will/can/is saving organisers’ time.   AI is a revolution in efficiency and accuracy, and in the context of such a finite element of the live event model this conversation combats conspiracists too, Chris stressing, ‘It’s about supporting people not replacing them’. He goes on to highlight safeguards and checks in the Evaluations template, input from the customer advisory group and feedback from the testing phase - getting the views of the many not the few…   A fascinating, truly educational 45-minutes then about the hottest tech topic.   To keep up to date with all the news, subscribe for free here. If you would like to take part in a podcast, then please complete our submission form.