Meet Mike Schrafft, MEA Director

By Mike Schrafft 

We’re Back!

The event industry is well and truly back but the greater challenges still exist in this more unpredictable world. While Governments are throwing money at attracting events the corporate world is being placed under increasing uncertainty as to the impact of a potential recession, higher interest rates, IR law changes and cost of living pressures. We have already seen the large global tech companies downsizing as are other organisations and this has had a flow on effect to associations representing industry. Throw in the impact of the digital age such as webinars, video conferencing and AI for the perfect storm.

My partner has successfully run VMS Event & Conference Logistics for more than 30 years, experiencing the intrusion of modern technology employed in business from; telex, direct mail, fax machine, desktop > personal computers, tablets, the “shoe” phone, mobile phones, the internet, emails, social media, streaming to name some examples. Furthermore, we have had the “recession we had to have”, GFC and COVID.

Did it change the way we did business, undoubtably yes! While each change was challenging this was more than offset by the opportunities. The reality is that people need to get together, and that basic human need has not changed, hence the continued growth of the events industry. The company has grown from a simple conference venue promoter to a full PCO service employing our own online registration system. What’s in the future I cannot tell you but that’s the excitement of business.

The industry itself has shown tremendous resilience but education and the ability to pivot is the key to continued success. We need to provide basic industry education (as MEA does) to provide the workforce for the future and to utilise our new digital assets in a meaningful way. MEA through its branch network is clearly positioned and is providing the leadership the industry needs for all participants in these challenging times. The recent Evolve 2023 Conference demonstrated that we as an industry also need to get together.