I’m really excited to tell you all that having gained a number of years of hugely enjoyable experience in the exhibitions industry working on Aircraft Interiors Expo, I have teamed up with my boss who created that show, Tony Robinson, and joined his newly formed company, Next Events & Conferences Ltd. Tony is referred to as a ‘legend’ in the Exhibitions and Conferences industry having founded world leading shows across Europe, America, China and Asia. Expert Opinion by Rebecca Would Head of New Event Development ISSUE 5 PAGE 28 Photo: Rebecca Would, Shutterstock Power Transmission & Distribution Events He may actually hold the record for the creation and design of more events during the last 25 years than anybody and if by chance if he’s not the record holder he is certainly up there with the best of the best.
For me this is a really exciting moment. The name derives from the concept that much of what we will be doing is creating events for NEXT generation global industry developments and requirements. The world is changing as we know, and new technologies are required to meet the multiple challenges going on across many different sectors. We can also see that in some cases, older shows have lost touch with the latest trends or grown so large that the emerging new world is lost in them. So as always with Tony, it is focus, focus, focus.
My job in all of this is to research our markets, talk to specialist groups within these industries and indeed as I have done over the last year, to go out and discuss our plans with exhibitors. I can only say that the reaction and excitement that I was welcomed with was truly amazing and proved our theories and market directions to be absolutely what companies are looking for. My job title is Head of New Show Development. I’ll be doing a lot more but there is a limit to how expansive my job title can be!
Photo: Shutterstock
FOCUSED TRADE SHOWS
When I first stepped into the power transmission and distribution industry, I had no roadmap, no guidebook – just an opportunity given to me by a hugely successful and rather brilliant businessman in the exhibitions and conferences world and the drive to figure things out as I went. I was new, unfamiliar with the ins and outs, and had to learn everything on the go. It was intimidating but also exhilarating. There was no time to sit back and observe. I had to dive in headfirst, adapt quickly, and make it work.
Helping Run an exhibitions and conferences company means juggling a hundred moving pieces at once. Every event is its own massive puzzle – coordinating industry leaders, managing vendors, handling logistics, and ensuring everything runs seamlessly. At first, every day felt like a crash course in problem- solving. I made mistakes, asked a lot of questions, and leaned on every resource I could find. But what kept me going was the realization that I wasn’t just keeping up – I was making things happen.
Every event is its own massive puzzle – coordinating industry leaders, managing vendors, handling logistics, and ensuring everything runs seamlessly.
One of the biggest challenges was stepping into a space where I didn’t always see many people like me. The power transmission and distribution sector has long been male-dominated, and being a woman running events in this space came with its own set of hurdles. Whether it was earning credibility, proving my expertise, or simply navigating an industry where relationships and experience hold so much weight, I knew I had to bring confidence to the table.
Over time, I learned that my ability to stay organized, anticipate challenges, and keep things running smoothly wasn’t just helpful – it was essential. I became the person ensuring everything stays on track, the one making sure the right people connected at the right time. And that role is a powerful one.
This journey has shown me that being new doesn’t mean being incapable and in the role I’m in, it isn’t necessary for me to know the ins and outs of transformers or switchgear but merely to understand their relevance and importance for next generation grids. For me, it is a question of evaluating at the outset that any company I may be talking to is selling to TSOs and DSOs.
Over time, I learned that my ability to stay organized, anticipate challenges, and keep things running smoothly wasn’t just helpful – it was essential.
Learning on the fly doesn’t mean being unqualified. And stepping into an unfamiliar space doesn’t mean you don’t belong. Women in this industry – whether they are in technical roles, leading teams, or managing the behind-the-scenes work that keeps everything moving – bring strength, adaptability, and resilience. Running an event in the power transmission and distribution industry has tested me in ways I never expected, but it has also proven that I am capable of handling anything thrown my way. If sharing my story helps even one person realize they have a place here too, then every challenge along the way has been worth it.
One thing and by far the most important thing I have learned about the exhibitions industry is the complete transformation that comes out of running highly focused events. In the case of what we are doing in launching Power Transmission & Distribution Technology Expo, we are 100% focused on the power transmission network. It’ is very simple. Our visitors will be involved in designing, building and operating electricity networks and every visitor will be potentially relevant to every exhibitor. It is a win-win. Because at the same time for the exhibitors every visitor is potentially relevant to what they do.
100% Focused Events – Happy Exhibitors and Visitors
Just imagine being at an Expo where every one of 2000 visitors over 3 days is relevant to what your company does. It is a complete game changer. The dynamic, contact points and value are on a completely different level. You will not see tens of thousands of visitors; you will just meet people who are specifying and buying what it is that you do. Think next generation grids, smarter electricity management, next generation distribution networks, sub- station automation and a lot more.
Learning on the fly doesn’t mean being unqualified. And stepping into an unfamiliar space doesn’t mean you don’t belong. Women in this industry – whether they’re in technical roles, leading teams, or managing the behind-the-scenes work that keeps everything moving – bring strength, adaptability, and resilience.
This is our speciality, and we are renowned for it. Over the years our Founder has created shows including Aircraft Interiors Expo. In that sector exhibitors hated shows because they were lost in huge exhibitions for the general aircraft engineering world. It was launched in 2000, within 5 years was one of the biggest aviation events in the world and 25 years later it still sells out every bedroom in the entire city of Hamburg. I am glad to say I worked on that show, and it was absolutely amazing. What we are doing here in Power Transmission & Distribution is the same. Expect it to be amazing in 2025 and unbelievable soon after!
Right now, we are in the most important movement. Visitor marketing has started and that will involve one to one visits to every TSO in Europe and to selected DSOs. We already have feedback from TSOs stating ‘yes’ a show like this would be a great improvement and we would like to see it come to life. And it will. We have 5 intensive months in our lead-up to the launch.
Watch this space! We are here for you. Stands and booths start from €6,900 and are typically in the price zone of €10,000. My contact details are rebecca.would@powertranstech.com.
