BIG INTERVIEW16 . www.conference-news.co.uk . May 2012 have always wanted to get the name of my football team into the fi rst paragraph of CN and I have fi nally succeeded. Craig Moyes, Reed Travel Exhibitions (RTE) Group Portfolio Director, is of proud Scottish ancestry like his namesake, the Everton manager. "Anything to do with Scotland versus England, I have always supported Scotland," he says. "I also enjoy the outdoor life." No time for outdoor pleasures for Moyes this month, with the second edition of RTE's AIBTM show in Baltimore, USA, looming. The RTE captain, a maritime enthusiast, has had to tack sharply and bring over EIBTM Show Director Graeme Barnett to steady the 'Americas' ship. The move followed the 'man overboard' departure of AIBTM Project Director Steve Knight, enticed to join the Centaur Exhibitions new Meetings Show UK set to debut in July 2013.Moyes grew up in Colchester, Essex, and studied environmental planning at Anglia Ruskin University. "My main hobbies at the time were sailing and football," he says. "When I fi nished University I went for two interviews, one was for a planning job and the other was as a trainee sales person for a yacht building company. Much to my father's disgust I got the job selling boats and that took me into the world of exhibitions. The company took part in the Southampton and London Boat Shows."Moyes went on to create a company called Proshow, with a colleague, and they launched the fi rst ever China International Boat Show in Shanghai, in 1992.From maritime Moyes, the landlubber 'exhibition' Moyes went on to work at event organisers Spearhead, Brintex, and Informa in a variety of sectors, before joining Reed Exhibitions in 2007 as Event Director for World Travel Market.IHe moved to take on RTE's global meetings portfolio in 2009. His portfolio's fl agship show, EIBTM, celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. GIBTM was launched in 2007, the same year RTE assumed the management of CIBTM that takes place annually in Beijing. The newest 'IBTM', AIBTM, launched in 2011. "While the meetings industry is a mature market in the US, existing shows were in decline. Substantial research all pointed to the need for an event which replicated the IBTM format," says Moyes.The portfolio is completed by AIME in Australia (a collaboration with Melbourne CVB) and the British Travel Market."Our events' role is to provide that pivotal point for the industry through education, business opportunities and networking events that help the community to meet," says Moyes, who believes each event must have its own local team that is not only part of the industry in their country but knows what that market needs from the shows. "We help these teams ensure the brand values are maintained and also that there is a local feel to the event and cultural differences are respected," he adds.Moyes may be the frontline face of a big corporate HQ, but is not hidebound and says a key challenge for 2012 is to ensure The captain's call Reed Travel Exhibitions' Craig Moyes directs a show portfolio of six meetings industry events spanning fi ve continents. He talks to CN Editor Paul Colston about his plans and his team's achievements to dateContent captured at the live event can be relayed back to an increased audiencethat all RTE stakeholders can understand and utilise the benefi ts which hybrid and virtual events have to offer."While we do not believe that virtual exhibitions will ever take the place of live events, the use of online has become highly supportive of face to face," he says. "Technology also opens the event to other participants outside of the live audience. Content captured at the live event can also be relayed back to an increased audience."Moyes points out that in China and the Gulf the meetings sector was either brand new or in its infancy when RTE launched. "We have created a business platform that begins the process of introducing the meetings, events and incentives industry to both these regions," he explains. Fundamental to the success of the shows is working closely with key strategic partners, Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority in the UAE and the Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development in China. "The latter is so integral to CIBTM that in 2011 a Memorandum of Understanding was signed to continue their support of the growing meetings industry in China and to provide additional resources to encourage inbound business to support requests for proposals (RFP's) from international MICE buyers and planners," says Moyes. He admits it is sometimes a challenge to 'fi nd' the relevant buyers in the new markets because many of the people who plan or book meetings are doing it as a small part of their day-to-day job. "One way to help is to have our team on the ground, able to communicate in the local language and to network with clients, encouraging them to be part of the community," he says. Moyes' team faced an unusual challenge in 2008 during the Beijing Olympics. "Having done our fi rst show in 2007, 16 . www.conference-news.co.uk . May 2012

BIG INTERVIEWMay 2012 . www.conference-news.co.uk . 17 CRAIG MOYESFormative years: ColchesterFirst job: Sales for yacht buildersEducation: Anglia Ruskin UniversityWork fi le: Exhibition career included roles at Proshow, Spearhead, Brintex and Informa Group. Event Director at World Travel Market for Reed, before moving across to lead the IBTM group portfolio at Reed Travel Exhibitions in 2009.