We spoke to Rob Sherwood, Managing Director at Hub Exhibitions, organiser of Women in Business Expo and the newly launched Space-Comm Expo in partnership with Farnborough International, about all things exhibitions – from the value of face to face interaction to how the exhibition model may adapt in the future.

Rob started his exhibition career with Blenheim Exhibitions in 1995 as a Sales Executive, working on the Recman sports event, and latterly Sales Manager on Food and Drink Expo. He launched Expomedia’s International Sales Team, exhibition launches include Data Capture Europe, RFU trade event, Women in Business Expo, Space‐Comm Expo, Automechanika Birmingham. Rob was Messe Frankfurt’s UK partner for 12 years.

Rob tell us why he loves trade show “I love being on site. I love the camaraderie. I love the. It's such a great leveller. You know, you have the M.D. stuffing bags along with the intern…I love the busy aisles. I love seeing interactions on stands and business being done and taking a sense of pride from enabling that interaction.”

He adds “We crave interaction. I think nothing replaces the physical interaction that you have on site at an exhibition, seeing people face to face, shaking hands, picking up product, tasting it, and smelling it. Nothing can replace that.”

Looking towards the future of live events Rob says “I could imagine a world where we run a physical event with a virtual event concurrently and embrace the digital world more keenly into our events when they take place.”

“I think we'll see a massive resurgence in events when the confidence returns to the market. I think they'll have never been a greater need for new business partnerships, for new deals to be done, for products to be sold. And I think we'll be in the right place when that happens.”

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