ES. Could you please provide a detailed overview of your role as the Business Unit Head and International Business Member of Management Board at Messe Muenchen India?
Avisha Desai. I started my career in the exhibitions industry more than fifteen years ago and today, I am in a leadership role where I unlock business value for the company through strategic industry alliances and partnerships. These networks and alliances are built across the various industries that we serve as well as the geographies of India and two African markets i.e South Africa and Kenya.
I am also heading six leading tradeshows – India Lab Expo, analytica Anacon India, Pharma Pro & Pack Expo, drink technology India, Pack Mach Asia Expo, and World Tea & Coffee Expo. Over the course of my career, I have seen these brands grow and thrive, thus delivering exceptional results for all stakeholders in their respective sectors.
ES. As a member of the Management Board in India, what are your learnings from the holding company Messe Muenchen in Munich, Germany?
Avisha Desai. Messe München GmbH is a 60-year-old company and a global leader in the business of trade fairs. We constantly share knowledge between both companies to understand which exhibition models are most successful in which markets, and what are the evolving needs of our customers so that we can create meaningful experiences and value-generating marketplaces for them. These learnings are collected and shared through regular meetings and workshops with team members across India and Munich.
One advantage of being associated with a legacy brand like Messe München is that we get a holistic perspective of the role of trade fairs and exhibitions in a constantly changing global world order. For example, the importance of trade fairs in emerging markets like India is growing exponentially as India’s export volumes and varieties increase. Today, we are witnessing unprecedented demand from global companies for exhibition space in India as they want to build partnerships with the domestic manufacturing landscape. Our synergies with Munich help us explore and build more such international partnerships.
ES. Please take us through your journey in the corporate world and the key learning that you have had over the years in MMI.
Avisha Desai. I started my career as a project manager with a sole focus on expanding exhibition space and managing the P&L accounts. Today, I have a wider role where I have to grow the business by meeting and exceeding stakeholders’ expectations. In this regard, I derive a lot of inspiration and insight for decision-making from our purpose statement which is ‘enabling meaningful handshakes; unlocking business opportunities’.
By staying true to this purpose and operating with a values-first approach, we can take many initiatives to understand our customers’ needs and deliver the right audiences at our trade fairs. For example, we have developed digital tools that use algorithms to capture and meet the complex needs of buyers and exhibitors at our marketplaces.
Thus, I can say that I’ve learned a lot during my tenure here, and the learning never stops.
ES. What are some of the new things being adopted by Messe Muenchen India? Paving the path to be the most preferred market platform provider in India
Avisha Desai. In our pursuit of being India’s foremost market platform provider, we are constantly asking ourselves: Do we truly comprehend the needs of our customers—be they exhibitors or visitors? To answer that question, we have developed service models to deliver higher customer satisfaction and improved business outcomes for both visitors and exhibitors. Driven by our dedication to exceptional service, we’re always looking for ways to elevate the customer experience for both sellers/exhibitors and buyers/visitors. That’s why we’re building a cutting-edge digital platform that maps the entire event journey, from booking to post-event follow-up, ensuring a seamless and engaging experience for everyone.
ES. How important is the International Business Division to the growth strategy of Messe Muenchen India?
Avisha Desai. This is a new business division that was launched just a couple of years ago after the pandemic experience. As mentioned earlier, with larger export volumes from India to the world, and greater interest from global manufacturers to integrate into Indian supply chains, we believe Messe Muenchen India is rightly positioned to serve these business interests of our domestic and international customers. Africa is an important market for Indian companies, especially in the food and pharma industries, as well as an important trade route from India to Europe and the Americas. Therefore, we are excited to grow our trade fair brands on this continent. As of today, we have three exhibitions in Africa – analytica Africa, IFAT Africa, and air cargo Africa, with many more to come.
ES. What was the thought process behind moving into your new office in Mumbai?
Avisha Desai. Having achieved strong growth milestones over the past few years, it is only natural for us to move into a larger space to accommodate not only a growing number of team members but also the expanding aspirations of the organization. This new office is 3X larger than the previous one and reflects the company’s mission, purpose, and core values. The spacious design and vibrant interiors of this new workspace will empower our team members to dream big, take risks, and collectively strive towards the organization’s next growth milestone
ES. How can the exhibition industry adopt sustainability practices, especially during show days?
Avisha Desai. Sustainability is an important theme across industries and we at Messe Muenchen India are taking decisive steps to transition towards consistent eco-friendly practices, both in our offices across the country as well as during show days. For example, in our Mumbai office and some of our shows, we have eliminated single-use plastics like water bottles and cutlery.
Concerning the business of trade fairs, we envision a grading system for stand-builders by 2025 wherein we will rate stand-builders on key performance parameters such as booth design quality, timely delivery, and cost competitiveness. Soon, we will partner with internationally acclaimed stand design and building companies to bridge Indian builders with best practices on sustainability and contribute to a circular economy.
These strategic initiatives are steps towards showcasing leadership in the exhibitions industry by reducing its environmental impact. We hope that our efforts contribute towards the sustainability agenda of the Indian trade fairs industry.
