Shaping the Future of B2B Events: A Conversation with Phill Hirons, Managing Director of TechEx Events
Professional Journey: Can you share your career path and what led you to your current role as Managing Director of TechEx Events?
My career in events wasn’t a deliberate choice—it’s one of those professions that people seem to fall into rather than plan for. For me, it started with my time as a military officer. After university, I dabbled in recruitment but quickly realised it wasn’t for me. A close friend, who was seconded to Whitehall, convinced me to join the RAF, and I did. After completing officer training, I was unexpectedly posted to Whitehall, where I was tasked with running the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme and assisting with a variety of military events, from small private functions to large exhibitions and tradeshows.
After leaving the RAF, I leveraged connections I’d made in the private events sector and began working as a producer for a well-known conference organiser. This opened doors for me to work across different industries and regions, gaining valuable experience with some of the biggest and most reputable businesses in the MICE sector. After my time at Clarion, I was fortunate enough to be offered the Managing Director role at TechEx, a rapidly growing global event series focused on the B2B enterprise technology space.
Transition from Military to Events Industry: How did your experience in the Royal Air Force as an aerospace battle manager and political liaison officer influence your approach to managing large-scale events?
It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly how my time in the Royal Air Force (RAF) has influenced my approach to events, or even my broader approach to life. I don’t tend to reflect as much as I probably should, but I do owe a lot to those years, particularly in terms of the people I worked with and the valuable lessons I learned. There are two key areas I can definitely attribute to my time in the RAF that have shaped how I manage large-scale events.
The first is planning—everything in the military is meticulously mapped out with as many contingencies as possible. This approach may give the impression that I’m calm under pressure, but the reality is that I’ve usually already planned for those stressful scenarios. It’s all about anticipating potential problems and being ready with solutions.
The second is understanding my own capabilities and limitations. I’m far more aware of both my strengths and weaknesses than I was before, which has positively impacted my recruitment process. Early in my management career, I had a tendency to hire like-minded individuals, leading to teams with similar strengths. Now, I’m much more focused on hiring people to complement the team, addressing areas where the team may need strengthening, and ensuring that we have a well-rounded group with a broader skill set.
Growth and Expansion Strategies: Since joining TechEx in 2024, what strategies have you implemented to drive the growth and expansion of the event portfolio?
I’m a firm believer in being great at what you already do well. Rather than rushing to fix perceived problems right away, I think it’s essential to allow the team to build more confidence and inject positivity and momentum into their work. Change is often met with resistance, so it’s far more effective to make adjustments from a position of strength.
In practical terms, this has meant placing a stronger focus on client relations. We’ve set up a dedicated team to ensure that we consistently meet deliverables and exceed client expectations. Additionally, we’ve adopted a very data-first approach to the business, which is already giving us some valuable insights into areas where we can improve and grow. While I won’t go into specifics, I can say that these adjustments have already had a positive impact on our team culture, operational effectiveness, and, ultimately, on the growth of the business.
Adapting to Industry Trends: With the rapid evolution of enterprise technology, how does TechEx ensure its events remain relevant and ahead of industry trends?
The key is to listen closely to what the market is telling us. In this industry, it’s easy to make assumptions—whether it’s following what others are doing or taking the path of least resistance. However, the only way to stay ahead is by constantly asking the right questions, gathering feedback, and turning that insight into something meaningful. This applies not just to customers, but also to partners, speakers, suppliers, and anyone we engage with.
We’re also fortunate to have a strong relationship with our sister business, TechForge, who shares the same office space in Bristol. TechForge creates a range of publications and content, leveraging both internal and external resources, which gives us an additional edge in staying current with industry trends beyond the conversations we’re already having. This combination of market feedback and up-to-date industry content helps ensure that our events stay relevant and forward-thinking.
Enhancing Attendee Experience: What initiatives have you introduced to improve attendee engagement and satisfaction at TechEx events?
The key focus has been enhancing networking opportunities, both by increasing accessibility and improving how they are facilitated. While increased footfall looks good on paper, one of the challenges we’ve faced is ensuring that attendees make meaningful connections, particularly as the scale of the event grows. This, along with aspects like catering and seating, can sometimes be difficult to manage effectively.
To address this, we’ve invested heavily in our event app, making it a more interactive tool for attendees. We’ve also integrated more interactive elements into our shows to enhance engagement. Additionally, we’re exploring various solutions that not only help our partners generate more ROI but also provide us with real-time analytics on attendee behaviour. By identifying patterns in how attendees engage with the event, we can tailor the experience to better serve both the general audience and, in some cases, on a more individual level. This approach ensures that we deliver a highly personalised and engaging event experience.
Navigating Challenges in Event Management: What are some of the significant challenges you’ve faced in the events industry?
Every seasoned events professional has their share of “war stories,” and I’ve certainly encountered some remarkable (and, at times, difficult) situations. One of my personal biggest challenges was having to cancel a show just one week before it was due to take place, due to large-scale protests. The protest was against a European gas show, which, ironically, was focused on how to decarbonise the industry and achieve net-zero targets. This situation was both unfortunate and a nightmare to deal with, given the timing and the topic.
From an industry-wide perspective, however, the biggest challenge I see is recognition. As I mentioned earlier, very few people actively set out to work in B2B events; it’s an industry that many people just “fall into.” Yet, the UK is the global leader in this space, with six of the top ten largest event organisers being British, including the top three. The events industry is worth $100bn globally, but it often doesn’t receive the recognition it deserves. Raising the profile of our industry at all levels is essential, not only for our short-term success but also for the long-term health and sustainability of the sector.
With a career that spans military service, recruitment, and the world of B2B events, Phill Hirons has brought a unique perspective to his role as Managing Director at TechEx Events. Having transitioned from the RAF to producing major global conferences, Phill has been instrumental in driving the growth of TechEx, a leading event series in the B2B enterprise technology space. In this interview, Phill shares insights into his professional journey, his vision for TechEx, and how the event industry is evolving in the face of technological advancements, sustainability challenges, and changing market dynamics.
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Impact of Record Attendance: TechEx Expo Global 2025 saw a record attendance with nearly 9,000 attendees. How do you plan to build on this success for future events?
Our first priority is to focus on retaining as many of these customers as possible. By creating a strong following of advocates, we ensure that we never start from scratch, making future growth much easier to achieve. Our marketing efforts have been focused on developing strong, meaningful relationships, which have helped us expand into new markets and regions while also strengthening our presence in the ones we’re already established in. The emphasis will always remain on community-driven initiatives.
There’s no “secret sauce” for success here; it’s about creating value, which means different things to different people. For us, this value lies in curating high-quality content, providing numerous networking opportunities, and bringing together the best-in-class providers to showcase the technologies driving positive change in the sector.
Integration of Emerging Technologies: How is TechEx incorporating emerging technologies like AI and IoT into its event offerings to enhance value for participants?
We’re trialling a number of emerging technologies, but I want to be clear that not all of them will be rolled out. For example, we’ve used ChatGPT to improve our workflows and create more efficient systems, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable relying on it to create our content just yet. The goal is to enhance the experience for participants, and we’re using AI to create peer-to-peer networking opportunities, incorporate social amplification tools to reach new audiences, and track real-time data to better understand our customers. These are just a few of the tools we’re experimenting with to improve both the physical and digital experiences for our attendees.
Sustainability Initiatives: What steps is TechEx taking to promote sustainability within its events and the broader events industry?
At TechEx, we focus on evaluating all aspects of our event campaigns to identify areas where we can improve. Some changes are straightforward, like relying more on technology and transitioning to paperless events. We also limit non-essential business travel and optimise our supply chains to keep our carbon footprint low. In other areas, we make incremental improvements, such as investing in reusable signage and materials to reduce waste at each event. Beyond environmental sustainability, we’re also committed to creating a positive impact within our communities. This includes promoting diversity among our speakers and audiences, adapting our hiring policies, and sourcing suppliers who share our commitment to a more sustainable future.
Future Vision for TechEx Events: Looking ahead, what are your key objectives for the future development of TechEx Events?
Our primary objective is simple: to ensure that TechEx becomes the go-to event in the B2B enterprise technology space. By focusing on the customer and providing an exceptional on-site experience, everything else will fall into place. As we continue to grow, we must reinvest back into the event, trial new initiatives, and remain agile to adapt to market changes. It sounds straightforward, but delivering value to an audience of thousands, each with different expectations, is a challenging task. However, that’s part of the job – and what makes it so enjoyable!
