 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
April 2008
5-minute interview: David Levin, Chief Executive, United Business Media
Levin, who joined UK-based UBM in 2005, previously served as Chief Executive of Symbian, a mobile phone software licensing company, and as Chief Executive of Psion PLC, a handheld computing company. Levin has an M.B.A. from Stamford University and an M.A. from Oxford. Most recently, he presided over the restructuring of CMP Media into four distinct business units. He talks with EXPO about that change and about the future of exhibitions.
EXPO: One of the reasons given for the division of CMP Media into four companies was that by reorganizing each would have more agility in the marketplace. How does it make them more agile?
Levin: In our previous corporate structure, there were a lot of layers. Each of these separate businesses that we’ve created serves a very different market. They have different market pressures they must respond to, and this allows them to do that more efficiently. For example, if one business wants to try implementing a new application, they can now do it without having to go through an extra layer of administrative approval. They’re now able to customize what they need to do much more easily. We’ve effectively just peeled away a layer of corporate control.
EXPO: A number of media companies that were once dominated by publications are undergoing re-organizations, as well. What’s going on in the marketplace that’s causing publications to be an increasingly smaller part of the business model, and what do you think the future holds for exhibitions in this regard?
Levin: The print market essentially became over published. There are too many magazines trying to serve the same or similar markets. There were a huge number of magazine launches throughout the ’90s, and many of them are serving too fine a market niche. This change is being driven by the advertisers who are saying they simply aren’t willing to support this many titles. So, now we’re going through a market consolidation. It’s a process that’s going to go on for a while, and a lot of magazines are going to close. It isn’t print that’s the problem; it’s the market. We have some very successful print titles, but they’re serving markets and geographies that aren’t so over published.
Exhibitions are a bit of a different model. I see a very bright future for exhibitions. It might be a paradox, but I think this virtual meeting world of ours, this constant social networking, will make exhibitions even more relevant, not less. People are making business contacts all the time and reaching people virtually throughout the year. At some point they want to be able to actually meet some of these key contacts in the real world. They want to be able to have a total sensory experience — to see, taste and touch in a shared environment. Exhibitions are an efficient way of doing that in a short amount of time.
EXPO: Do you see anything on the horizon that might begin to corrode the place exhibitions hold in many diversified media companies? Anything we should be on the lookout for?
Levin: Not really. The part of the event industry I see potentially having a lot of challenges ahead are the smaller meetings. I’m thinking of the ones that attract 20-50 attendees. When you’re talking about an event that size, there really isn’t much you couldn’t typically achieve faster and cheaper through meeting virtually. But you can’t meet virtually the same way when you’ve got a bigger audience.
EXPO: When it comes to the exhibition portion of your business, are there any new markets or new industries that have caught your attention as being the next place you want to be with your events?
Levin: We’re very aggressive about our international growth. We’re now heavily involved in the Chinese market and are working hard to grow our presence in India. We have our Game Developer conference in China, for example, that’s doing well, and we’ve launched our Embedded Systems shows in India. We’re very lucky that right now we do have the resources to grow our international business, and that’s what we’re doing.
EXPO: It’s still early in the game, but how’s the restructuring going? What has been the biggest challenge to making this change in your business?
Levin: So far, it’s been met with great enthusiasm both within the company and by our customers. I don’t really have any challenges to report at this time. Everyone is really pumped up about it because they see it as a change that will help make them more successful. It will allow them to act faster – and that’s something our customers appreciate. I’ve been traveling in the United States meeting with some of our customers, and they’re pleased about the change. |
|
|
Stay informed with Expo's weekly e-newsletter:
Get daily industry news via RSS  What is RSS?
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| |
A Red 7 Media publication - 7015 College Blvd., Suite 600, Overland Park, KS 66211, USA
Tel 913.344.1376 — Fax 913.469.0806
|
|
|
|
