Roundtable 1: with MapYourShow

Beyond the Build: Should Ops Have a Seat at the Sales Table?

Sales teams sell the vision, the floor plan, the booth package, the experience. But it's operations who has to deliver it; safely, on budget, and on time. Often, ops are brought in after the deal is signed, inheriting commitments that weren't stress-tested against real-world constraints like venue capacity, H&S regulations, or build schedules. This roundtable brings together operations leaders from across the events industry to debate: should ops be more embedded in the sales process itself. From reviewing proposals, flagging risk, even sitting in on pitches, or does that blur roles, slow down deals, and pull ops away from what it does best?

Roundtable 2: with -45dB

Making Every Square Metre Work Harder

With exhibition space under increasing pressure, how can organisers make every square metre work harder? From exhibitor requirements and meeting spaces to content, networking, attendee flow and operational requirements, there are competing demands for space at every event. This roundtable will explore how operations teams can think differently about space planning, balance competing priorities and create layouts that work better for exhibitors, visitors and the wider event experience.

Roundtable 3: with Grip

Stop Chasing Exhibitors: How Can We Make Exhibitor Management Easier?
Exhibitor management can create a huge amount of admin for operations teams, from chasing forms and floorplans to tracking deadlines, collecting information and following up on missing details. This roundtable will explore how organisers can make the process easier for both their teams and exhibitors, looking at where communication breaks down, which processes create unnecessary work and how better systems and clearer expectations could reduce the chasing.

Roundtable 4

The Art of Negotiation: Getting What You Need Without Burning Bridges

Operations teams are constantly negotiating, with venues, suppliers, contractors, internal teams, exhibitors and clients. Whether it’s getting better terms, managing competing priorities, pushing back on unrealistic requests or finding a solution when there’s little room to move, negotiation is a key part of the job. This roundtable will explore how experienced operations leaders approach difficult conversations, where to hold your ground, when to compromise and how to get the best outcome while maintaining strong working relationships.

Roundtable 5

Who Owns the "Wow" Moment?

Every event needs a moment people photograph, share and remember. But who's actually responsible for creating it? This roundtable looks at where ops, design and marketing overlap on feature zones, entrance experiences and activations, and whether teams are collaborating or quietly competing over ownership.