The Event Debrief

Death of the Annual Conference

The traditional annual conference model is under pressure — and many event professionals know it. In this episode of The Event Debrief, Alex Urquhart speaks with Rob Eveleigh, Managing Director of Brightelm, about why traditional conferences are losing relevance and what modern event leaders are doing instead. From hyper-personalisation and audience-led sessions to redesigning networking experiences and improving attendee engagement, Rob breaks down the biggest shifts shaping the future of conferences, association events, and B2B experiences. They explore: * Why “speaker-heavy” conferences are fading * The future of networking and human connection at events * How AI and event tech enable personalised experiences * Why Q&A often delivers more value than presentations * The hidden problem with “safe” conference agendas * How to measure engagement, sentiment, and event ROI * Practical steps for modernising your event strategy Whether you run conferences, exhibitions, association events, or corporate meetings, this episode delivers practical insights into creating events people actually want to attend. Guest: Rob Eveleigh — Managing Director, Brightelm [https://www.linkedin.com/in/robeveleigh/] Hosted by: Alex Urquhart, EventsAir Follow the podcast for more conversations on event strategy, event technology, attendee engagement, and the future of events. Important links from the episode: 🔗 Find out more about The Evolve Community here [https://www.theevolvecommunity.org/]. 🔗 Find out more about Brightelm here [http://brightelm.co.uk/].

The Future of Event Exhibitions: What’s emerging and what’s no longer acceptable?

Exhibitions have long been treated as a necessary add-on to events… but that model is starting to break. In this episode, we sit down with Belinda Meredith (Outstanding Displays) to explore why traditional exhibition setups are underdelivering — and what event managers can do instead. This conversation challenges the “sell more booths” mindset and focuses on designing exhibition experiences that actually work for attendees, exhibitors, and organizers. 🎯 What You’ll Learn:→ Why traditional exhibition models are losing impact→ Practical alternatives to standard booth and floor layouts→ How to design exhibition spaces people want to engage with→ Ways to integrate exhibitors into the attendee journey→ How to shift exhibitions from revenue streams to value drivers 💡 Key Takeaway:The future of exhibitions isn’t about selling harder — it’s about designing better experiences. 👤 About the Guest:Belinda Meredith [https://www.linkedin.com/in/belinda-meredith-b09503188/] is the founder of Outstanding Displays [https://outstandingdisplays.com.au/], bringing years of hands-on experience helping event teams rethink and redesign exhibition spaces to deliver stronger engagement and better outcomes. 📥 Want More?Check out more from EventsAir here: https://www.eventsair.com/ [https://www.eventsair.com/]

A Practical Guide to Getting Started with AI in Events

AI can transform an event — but where do planners even start? In this episode, we cut through the hype and focus on practical AI use cases for events, conferences, and event professionals that you can apply immediately. Joining the conversation is Grant Whitehead (Co-Founder of Wallfly), who shares simple yet highly valuable use cases of how AI is already being used across event planning, event marketing, and event operations to save time, reduce manual work, and improve attendee experience. This episode tackles one of the biggest challenges in the events industry right now: understanding AI is important — but not knowing how to implement it in real event workflows. If you’re an event planner, conference organiser, or event marketer looking to get started with AI in events, this episode gives you a clear, practical starting point. What we will discuss in this episode: * How to identify AI opportunities in event planning workflows * 2 practical AI use cases for events you can apply immediately * Using AI to automate event emails and attendee communications * How to reduce manual admin and repetitive event tasks * Using AI to generate test data for event platforms and apps * How AI improves attendee experience through better communication * Why most AI tools feel overwhelming (and how to simplify them) * How AI is changing the role of event planners and event teams * Where AI delivers the most value in conferences and live events Key takeaway: AI in events isn’t about replacing event planners — it’s about removing repetitive tasks so you can focus on delivering better conferences, experiences, and outcomes. About the guest: Grant Whitehead is Co-Founder of Wallfly (https://www.wallf.ly/ [https://www.wallf.ly/]) and an event technology expert with a background in AV production, web development, and event delivery. He works with event teams to implement practical AI solutions that improve efficiency, streamline workflows, and enhance event experiences. For more information on how EventsAir supports better event planning and event delivery, visit ⁠https://www.eventsair.com/ [https://www.eventsair.com/] ⁠for more info.

AI in Events in 2026: Separating the Hype from Real Value

Everyone’s talking about AI in events - but few are talking about what’s actually working.  In this episode, we cut through the hype and get practical about what AI will actually deliver for event professionals by 2026. Joining the discussion are three event tech leaders: Cam MacIntosh (Google Cloud), Mehdi Khalili (EventsAir), and Brandon Wernli (BW Events Tech). We unpack what’s working right now, what’s overhyped, and where AI is making measurable impact across attendee experience, sponsorship ROI, and planner efficiency. If you’re trying to figure out where to invest (and what to ignore), this episode is your shortcut. What we will discuss in this episode: * Why so many AI projects still deliver little to no ROI — and what that means for events * The current state of AI in events (2025): what teams are actually doing today * The biggest misconception about AI in the event industry right now * Real AI use cases improving attendee experience (personalisation, matchmaking, content curation) * How AI can drive better sponsorship ROI (lead scoring, behavioural insights, smarter reporting) * Where AI is already boosting planner efficiency (automation, scheduling, reporting, decision support) * What’s still too early, too risky, or simply marketing fluff * The human factor: privacy, trust, change resistance, and leadership buy-in * What skills event teams should start building to stay relevant through 2026 * Practical takeaways: realistic AI actions planners can implement in Q1 2026 For more information on how EventsAir supports better event delivery, visit https://www.eventsair.com/ [https://www.eventsair.com/ ]for more info.

How 1% Improvements Can Transform Your Delegate Experience

Unforgettable delegate experiences don’t come from blockbuster ideas — they come from small, compounding improvements that add up. In this episode, we break down how marginal gains — tweaks as small as 1% — across the event lifecycle can dramatically boost attendee satisfaction, engagement and ROI. In this episode we walk through practical strategies you can apply at every stage — from pre-event communication and smoother registration, to real-time onsite enhancements and post-event feedback loops. Whether you’re a seasoned planner or scaling your first hybrid event, this episode gives you actionable tips without the overwhelm. What we’ll discuss in this episode * Why delegate experience is the thing that separates “fine” events from "unforgettable" ones * The “1% improvements” mindset — and why it works so well for event planning * How the delegate journey starts before the event even begins * Quick wins for better registration, check-in, and attendee onboarding * How to use event tech to remove friction (not create it) * Onsite improvements that make events feel smoother and more premium * Simple ways to increase engagement and participation during sessions * How to create better networking moments without forcing awkward icebreakers * Using live feedback to improve the experience in real time * Post-event follow-up strategies that keep the value going long after the event Listen in and find out how thoughtful, targeted enhancements make events feel effortless and memorable.