Ahead of this year’s SISO CEO Summit, Collingwood spoke to Liz Irving, CEO of North America at Clarion, and Board Director of SISO, about the opportunities for events businesses and entrepreneurship in action.
Tell me a little about yourself and your role at Clarion.
My role at Clarion is CEO of North America. I’ve been on an incredible journey, and I think that’s because of my sheer curiosity to learn every part of the events business and be involved in many ways. My role today is overseeing the North American brands, products and teams; we have 275 employees with over 50 shows. What I do is true love; it’s a passion for bringing people together and connecting experiences. Our team here has grown quite rapidly through acquisition, which is exciting because you’re always bringing in new models, new talents, and new ideas.
Clarion has had an incredible growth journey – can you tell me a little about that?
Clarion has grown by acquisitions over the years and that’s what makes it an incredible company – we have such a diversity of products. But we’re always looking at how we balance the portfolio. I’ve got some foundational shows, some in medium growth, and some in high growth. That balance is about how we can continue to have success in the events that we have, but also explore new portfolios and verticals that we haven’t been in.
One of the most recent acquisitions was Infocast, which is a confex model. The confex model is extremely exciting, particularly when you see the value in the thought leadership and peer-to-peer conversations that the model delivers. Now we’re thinking about how we grow that within Clarion.
What exactly are you looking for in terms of the events and business models you’d like to bring into Clarion?
We look at everything, to see what’s in the market. I think there are some incredible entrepreneurs out there right now, who are doing really interesting things. Primarily though we look for whether we already have expertise in a market segment and if the prospect complements the portfolios we already have.
Technology and cultural fit are also important. Of course, the world of technology is changing things so rapidly. Finding events for segments that are being disrupted through technology is incredible because there’s so much more to talk about and discuss.
Cultural fit is a big piece when we’re thinking about integrating an acquisition. It’s not only the business, but it’s also the people, the culture, and how it all comes together.
The final area is growth: are they in a market sector that we believe in? Can we see growth coming not only in North America? Could we take that product and bring it into the other regions that Clarion has footholds in?
Tell me about your work with SISO and your involvement in this year’s programme.
I’ve been a board member of SISO for the last three years. I think SISO provides an incredible opportunity to bring entrepreneurs together and talk about what’s really going on in the industry. I have seen a lot of small businesses coming into SISO, and they’re bringing new ideas to us as a whole.
When I think about entrepreneurship [a key theme for this year’s SISO CEO Summit], it’s about challenging the status quo, and thinking: “What could this be if we invested differently? Who are the customers? What matters to them today? And how do we produce value in a platform opportunity for them?”
During my session at the SISO CEO Summit – ‘Real entrepreneurship in action’ – I have three very diverse thinkers that I’m excited to bring together. I think one of the things that I was most impressed with is that they’re all very mission-driven, very passionate about their brands, and very passionate about the industry and the customers they’re serving. And that’s how I feel: I’m extremely passionate about what we do and how we bring communities together in the right way. I think we have a responsibility to help industries continue to evolve and thrive in times of change – like we’re seeing right now.
AI, for example, is everywhere, and there are a lot of interesting ways media and events companies are starting to adopt it to improve productivity, personalisation, and predictability. If you don’t adopt it, you’re going to fall behind.
Another big change we’re seeing is around formats. Attending events and conferences is no longer just having conversations over a booth. It’s now about having conversations in different bespoke areas, being part of thought leadership, and really finding your group within a large event. I think those niche experiences really do matter, especially when we’re talking about the new generation; they want to be with like-minded people and make a lot of peer-to-peer connections. I think that’s an exciting element to think about as we go forward.
So what would your advice be to founders and CEOs in this fast-changing environment?
A lot is coming at us, and it’s not only the pressure to learn and to innovate. You have to run a good business. All of the innovations and things like AI shouldn’t be a separate strategy. If you have a sound business strategy that’s rooted in your people, your products, and your customers, AI should complement what you’re doing. My suggested approach, therefore, is to integrate it along the way and use it to deliver the outcomes you want for your strategy, your products, and your customers.
Challenges are commonplace in the events industry, particularly if you’re an entrepreneur. One of the things I look at here within Clarion is the ‘big three’ foci for the strategy; if you do more than that, either you’re not going to do it well, or your customers won’t notice if you do. So we hone in on what’s going to matter the most and double down on it.
It’s also vital to be connected with your customers: the closer you get, the more you understand. You need to generate those insights and be customer-obsessed to be successful. No matter their role within the team, each person should be empowered to have the voice of the customer. I think that’s an incredible opportunity for all organisers and all employees in the event space.
Then, focus on your data – so much around AI and predictability comes from your data set. We’re on a journey as an industry, when it comes to data. Some are further ahead than others. It’s about making sure you have what you need; making sure it’s clean and organised. It’s a lot of work, but it’s your foundation for so much more that you can unlock.
One of the key findings of Collingwood and SISO’s Events Sector Benchmarking report was that most event organisers have considered – or have started – some form of business model diversification. How do you think that relates to that innovation and entrepreneurial theme that’s part of the programme this year?
I think it’s an incredible time to do that, and it’s changing how we’re looking at the events industry as a whole. It’s no longer just selling over a booth space – the next generation wants different types of models. And with the diversification of learning styles, we have to think about how we produce experiences that really fit the customer’s needs and how they learn.
I think we’ll hear a lot more about different models, different ideas, and also how people create space for the attendees and exhibitors to be able to explore on their own and take time over the things that matter to them. They need to catch up with fellow attendees during the day, to have one-to-one conversations outside of scheduled programming. This is crucial as we go forward.
Face-to-face connection is important because it’s a trusted form of communication, a trusted source of truth. In the last few years we’ve seen a lot more content, more thought leadership discussion, more peer-to-peer conversations, matchmaking – it’s about building connections that matter. But one of the most exciting things I’m seeing is a shift towards activations. So again, it’s not just having a booth space – it’s having an activation that’s an experience that customers can engage with.
How do you think leaders of event businesses can make that business model diversification successful?
First of all, think about what your customers’ needs are, talk to them and understand what they have, where they go for information today, and what you can provide as a gap for the industry. Secondly, you have to go to events! I have learned so much by coming to not only events for tradeshow professionals, but for media professionals too.
There are some incredible event models out there, but we’re also looking at doing more with media, more with subscriptions – having recurring revenue streams matters. I think we can find real value in how we provide connections for customers offline, online, and face-to-face.
What else are you looking forward to at this year’s SISO CEO Summit?
I always love hearing from entrepreneurs, and I think Paul Miller [CEO of Questex], who’s the Chair of this year’s programme, has done a great job of bringing in new voices. Plus, the Summit is a great opportunity to have conversations with others who are walking in your shoes. A lot is happening in the event space, and it’s the perfect opportunity to come together with the right level of people, and have some exciting conversations.
How important are events like the SISO CEO Summit for the events industry?
I think it’s an incredible time for us as leaders, and at events like this, there’s a lot more conversation about things that are affecting customers and organisers. When we do things together, we raise the entire industry, and I think we’re all focused on keeping face-to-face events a very solid way of doing business – a trusted source. We have risen in our authority to do so, and by having conversations, coming face-to-face, and going to events, you’re going to learn more outside of your four walls. It’s incredibly important to have a very wide perspective because you bring back more to your organisation.
About Liz Irving
Liz oversees the strategic direction for Clarion’s North American business, focusing on customer and behavioral insights, commercial effectiveness, digital platform development, and innovation. She collaborates with portfolio directors to identify growth opportunities that enhance existing events and develop new digital offerings. Liz’s forward-thinking mindset ensures that both face-to-face and digital experiences evolve to deliver ever-increasing value for customers and communities.
She remains deeply connected to the industry, serving as the Chair of SISO’s Marketing Special Interest Group, a member of SISO’s Board of Directors and UFI- The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry Board of Directors. Liz is an active participant in the Women In Exhibitions Network North American Chapter and several Event Technology Advisory Boards.
The SISO CEO Summit takes place 31 March – 3 April, 2025, in Austin Texas. Liz Irving will chair the session “Real entrepreneurship in action” on 1 April, 4:30-5pm.
