Defined an Ambitious Five-Year Digital Roadmap for a Leading Exhibition Organizer

Defined an Ambitious Five-Year Digital Roadmap for a Leading Exhibition Organizer

Florent Jarry • September 9, 2022
Florent Jarry • September 9, 2022

Share

Client and project overview

We worked closely with the Italian Exhibition Group (IEG), a leading exhibition organizer, on defining an ambitious new five-year digital roadmap. From strategy development to implementation planning, we helped IEG begin a journey of transformation. The project was considered vital for IEG, as the pandemic radically changed the expectations of its customers – both attendees and exhibitors.


Our innovative thinking has helped IEG create a new post-Covid vision. It is the ‘community catalyst’ concept that has been integral in shaping IEG’s 2022-2027 strategic plan.


IEG embraced ‘community catalyst’ because it takes a fresh approach – significantly enlarging the role of event organizers. The concept puts events at the heart of IEG’s communities, serving their needs and creating value for a wider audience.


Key objectives

In developing IEG’s digital roadmap, we focused on the following questions:

  • What is IEG’s current digital offering, and how does it vary across brands?
  • Is IEG’s management ready for digital change? What is IEG’s company vision?
  • How well does IEG understand its customers? What are their customers’ needs and pain points – both for physical and virtual events?​


Implementation

  • Identify the required workstreams to deploy the roadmap
  • Pinpoint resource requirements, revenue costs, and investments
  • Outline the risks and mitigations from implementation
  • Set a suitable governance structure to support digital transformation


Our methodology

  • We conducted in-depth interviews with IEG’s management to fully understand the business. We also interviewed IEG’s customers so we could clearly identify their main pain points and opportunities​
  • We analyzed IEG’s internal data, including surveys conducted and digital offerings across show brands​
  • We held an in-person workshop that defined the company vision and helped drive substantial excitement around new digital initiatives ​
  • We worked with IEG management to identify the main digital opportunities in the short, medium and long term​


Results

  • IEG developed a compelling five-year digital roadmap and company vision. This positions the business for long-term growth and digital transformation. We are proud that the ‘community catalyst’ concept is now fundamental to IEG’s business model
  • Our work with IEG’s management team also included developing roadmaps with clear objectives, deliverables and KPIs, plus determining financial and human resource needs – all spanning the five-year timeframe


Read More

Will Barden Named Among The Consulting Report’s Top 25 Strategy Leaders of 2025
By Will Barden December 11, 2025
Will Barden, Partner, has been named among "The Consulting Report's" Top 25 Strategy Leaders of 2025. Click here to read more about the award.
Investing in Pharma Technology: A Healthcare Breakfast Discussion
By Rob Larson & Jordan Abrams December 8, 2025
In partnership with Raymond James and Farragut Square Group, Grant Thornton Stax recently hosted a breakfast event to share our investment analysis of the Pharma Technology market.
Miriam El-Baz & Connor Novy Honored as Consulting Magazine Women Leaders
December 2, 2025
Miriam El-Baz and Connor Novy were recognized at the Consulting Magazine Women Leaders awards to highlight the outstanding contributions made by women in consulting. Read more.
Featured in Financier Worldwide—Accelerating value in PE carve-outs: strategy and execution
By Phil Dunne & Peter Rodrigues-Renon November 11, 2025
Financier Worldwide discusses strategy & execution for accelerating value in carve-outs with Phil Dunne and Peter Rodrigues-Renon at Stax, including Gerard Nichol at Grant Thornton. Read more.
Key Considerations for Investors Exploring the Automotive Retail Tech Value Chain
By Sameer Tejani & Max Massaro November 6, 2025
Investment focus in automotive technology continues to broaden beyond OEMs to the core service ecosystem. Read what Sameer Tejani and Max Massaro see in the market.
Grant Thornton Stax Provides Sell-Side Support to SteelEye on its Merger With FundApps​
November 3, 2025
Grant Thornton Stax supported SteelEye, a leading trade and communications surveillance and data analytics platform, on its recent merger with FundApps. Read about the deal here.
Show More