For two days every year, International Confex becomes the beating heart of the events industry. Attendees see a seamless, dynamic experience with over 200 suppliers, 500 exhibitors, cutting-edge tech showcases, and a packed conference programme. What they don’t see, however, is the tireless work happening behind the scenes in the lead-up to the event—the dedication of the operations team.
From venue logistics to exhibitor management, health and safety to last-minute problem-solving, the ops team ensures Confex runs like a well-oiled machine. We spoke to the members of the team to understand what it takes to bring an event of this scale to life.
Ewan Parker, head of operations for International Confex, stressed timing is everything: “ensuring all large exhibits and space only stands get into the hall at the right time with enough time to build their stand is crucial. It is important to make sure logistics are right for everyone to come in at specific times and ensuring there is no health and safety hazards on build up.”
Ewan shed light on the processes of communicating with the venue, which is Excel London for International Confex, and their in-house team, to ensure a clear understanding between the two: “Excel will slowly introduce us to all the in-house teams whether that be IT who deal with the Wi-Fi at Confex or the rigging services. They will then create a planning meeting about 3 months out which links everyone in – they will have each department explaining what they do and the deadlines so we can map out our critical path accordingly”.
Ewan added: “Attention to detail is one of the most important aspects of planning. When I have done two shows previously I have always felt confident walking on site then something has happened and I thought, ‘why didn’t I plan for that’.
When you have 500 different exhibitors on site with 100 different contracts there is bound to be something that doesn’t quite go to plan. In operations you have to be able to adapt on site, keep calm and being able to solve any problems that arise. There is always a solutions to everything”
Phoebe Clemens, operations manager, affirmed Ewan’s points on staying prepared for all exhibitors request: “Flexibility is key in event planning. No matter how much you prepare, unexpected challenges always happen. It is important to stay calm, think on your feet and find solutions.”
Phoebe added: “we have just three operations team members putting on three big events. It can be stressful at times, but we make it work by staying organised, communicating effectively and supporting each other. There’s always a lot to juggle, but seeing everything come together in the end makes it all worth it.
Sneha Srinivasan, operations executive and exhibitor liaison, said plans start a year in advance: “we started for this year’s show immediately after last year’s. We have already started planning for 2026 as floorplans are ready and we expect rebooks.”
With a whole year of planning and logistics, Sneha shared some of the obstacles the operations team face along the way: “one of the biggest challenges is getting all the departments to be on the same page. Making sure everyone from sales, finance and marketing are all synchronised is really difficult.”
Asked about last minute requests and changes, she stressed it is part and parcel of working in this sector: “in the events industry you always expect a lot of chaos so being in this field you are already prepped for it; you know there is bound to be some sort of issue. The important thing is keeping the team informed when things do go wrong”.
The take aways from talking with the operations team highlights most of us can only grasp a small percentage on what actually happens behind the scenes. From the challenge of ensuring they are aligned and have clearly communicated with other departments to dealing with unhappy exhibitors and responding to (very) last minute requests.
When you walk through the bustling halls of Confex on 26 and 27th February, spare a thought for the dedicated operations team working behind the scenes to make it all possible. Their efforts ensure that, for two days, the entire events industry comes together, leaving attendees inspired and exhibitors eager to return year after year.
