BIG INTERVIEW
Weaving the exhibitor’s thread If you’ve been in the exhibition management industry for more than a week, you’ve probably heard of Carol Weaving. Her experience, determination and insight have rightfully elevated her to the status of industry legend.
with the up-and-coming generation and, more than that, it’s almost like she wants to recruit every enthusiastic young person she meets – being only too happy to participate in their growth and development.
HOW SHE GOT HERE
HREE DECADES IN THE industry, three decades’ worth of experience, but when you meet Carol Weaving for the first time, her energy, enthusiasm and spontaneity overwhelm you. So much so that it comes as a surprise that she’s gained veteran status in the field, without it showing. With Carol being a bit of an industry celebrity, you would hardly think she’s still humble, but a youngster could walk into a room where she’s hosting an event and her eyes would light up as she walks up and introduces herself. You can almost feel the sense of pride she has in sharing her passion
8 • THE EXHIBITION PLANNER 2017
Originally from the United Kingdom, Carol moved to South Africa in 1987 and, from the word go, she started making waves. Her growth in the industry was astonishing. From simply arranging exhibitions, events and conferences to managing venues and facilities, she quickly built up her knowledge and experience to a point where she could start her own company. Many people would have stopped there – they would’ve seen it as reaching their peak, but not Carol. She sold a majority share in her company to Dutch exhibitions company RAI, and then headed up RAI South Africa. Again, this could’ve been her legacy, but why walk when you can run? In South Africa, the need for an empowerment partner is vital for the growth and success of any company and Carol not only recognised this need, but made a business decision that would take RAI to the next level. She facilitated a buy-out of the company’s shares to the Thebe Tourism Group, a subsidiary of the Thebe Investment Corporation. As a 30% shareholder, she headed up the Thebe Exhibitions and Projects Group until November 2013, when Reed Exhibitions signed a joint venture agreement with the Thebe Tourism Group to acquire a majority share in Thebe Exhibitions & Projects Group. The group was renamed to Thebe Reed Exhibitions and shareholders were Reed Exhibitions, the Thebe Tourism Group and Carol. Three short years later, Reed bought out Thebe’s shares and the company was renamed
again, giving birth to Reed Exhibitions, as it’s known today. With Carol heading up Reed Exhibitions as managing director, it’s one of the largest and most successful exhibitions companies in South Africa.
WEAVING THE INDUSTRY Carol has managed to grow Reed Exhibitions into a company in the perfect position to grow its footprint across the African continent. Aside from her personal business successes, how has Carol managed to influence the exhibition industry has a whole? Well, to put it simply, Carol doesn’t accept a title without the intention to influence change and growth. Carol has served on the Southern African Association for the Conference Industry’s board and is the former chairperson of the Exhibition Association of Southern Africa. She even serves on the International Association of Exhibitions and Events committee. However, in Carol’s own words, “The exhibition industry in South Africa and Africa does not always have the required level of professionalism and credibility, especially with new, inexperienced organisers being opportunists and launching new products that inevitably fail. Exhibitors then feel that exhibitions don’t work. This has resulted in the need to launch AAXO (the African Association of Exhibition Organisers), of which I am the chairperson,” she states. “AAXO is the voice of the organisers and is supported by over 80% of the organising community in South Africa. It adheres to a strict code of conduct and ethics, which gives
Face-to-face meetings are still preferred for building the trust and bonds required for a successful sale and strong customer relationships. The events and exhibitions industry can sometimes be underplayed with regard to its vital importance in marketingwww.theplanner.guru campaigns
