The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) announced its third annual industry outlook conference, Predict, will be held on Sept. 12 at The Waldorf Astoria New York hotel. This year’s CEIR Predict sets the stage for inspiring conversations among and between panelists and attendees on business insights and strategies.
With an ongoing uncertain global economy, forecasting and making business decisions is more difficult than ever. Key economic indicators for the exhibition industry, and examining why some sectors performed so well in 2013, and others did not, will be a focus of the discussion. This executive-level, one-day event is a highly-intensive and interactive program with speakers who will engage attendees by providing a forecast for the CEIR Index’s 14 industry sectors for the remainder of this year and through 2015.
“Inspiring confidence in an unpredictable time will guide this year’s Predict conference,” said Doug Ducate, CEM, CMP, CEO and president, CEIR. “As the key forecasting event in the exhibition industry, the data presented at Predict will provide the industry’s decision-makers with real-time and reliable information upon which to strategize in the coming year.”
Executives will discuss operating strategies including projected event growth, merger and acquisition strategies and planned launches. Attendance will be limited to exhibition industry C-level executives, merger and acquisition firms, private equity firms, debt providers, investment firms and the financial press to allow for a high-level idea exchange about the future of the exhibition industry and the implications for specific business sectors and the supporting exhibitions.
Predict’s program is designed to provide the intelligence to quickly respond to changing market dynamics. Peer learning and information exchange will help leaders in the industry to better respond and plan for the coming year. New this year will be a special discussion session called Association Nation, which examines the unique challenges associations are facing and what they are doing to be effective and relevant for their membership in an increasingly complex world. Additional new features will be announced in the coming weeks.
The Co-Chairs for the 2014 CEIR Predict are David Audrain, CEM, president and CEO, Clarion Events North America, and Dennis Slater, president, Association of Equipment Manufacturers. Enhancements to the program are being developed by the CEIR Predict Planning Committee chaired by Bob Priest-Heck, chief sales officer, Freeman.
“The members of our planning committee are industry leaders who are committed to creating a conference that offers fresh perspectives and prominent guest speakers who will raise the bar once again and create a worthwhile experience for the thought leaders who attend Predict,” said Priest-Heck. “Now in its third year, CEIR Predict has become an essential meeting for executives because it is tailored specifically to provide the forward-looking information they need in these unpredictable times and can get nowhere else.”
The application and registration process is now open at www.ceir.org/predict.
