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10 Mar 2026

Events Industry Alliance appoints Henham Strategy as its public affairs partner

Events Industry Alliance appoints Henham Strategy as its public affairs partner

The Events Industry Alliance (EIA) has appointed Henham Strategy as its retained public affairs adviser following a competitive process.

The consultancy will support the alliance’s engagement with government and parliament, helping to strengthen the sector’s profile and ensure business events, both trade and consumer focused, are fully recognised within policy discussions on growth, trade and investment.

The EIA brings together three trade associations – the Association of Event Organisers (AEO), the Association of Event Venues (AEV) and the Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA) – collectively representing hundreds of organisers, venues and suppliers across the UK exhibitions and business events sector. Together, their members deliver trade shows, conferences and exhibitions across a wide range of industries, including last week’s flagship events like Tech Show London at Excel London or Crufts at the NEC Campus, Birmingham – both great examples of the events ecosystem in action, where organisers, venues and specialist suppliers collaborate to achieve real economic impact.

Rachel Parker, director, EIA and CEO, AEV, said: “We are excited to be working with Henham as we begin an important new chapter for the EIA and the businesses we represent across this vital sector. As international competition intensifies and other countries sharpen their focus on business events, it is essential that the UK matches that ambition.”

Nick King, founder and managing director, Henham Strategy said: “Both inside and outside of government, I’ve seen first-hand the economic impact business events deliver, both nationally and across the regions. We are delighted to be working with the EIA to ensure policymakers fully recognise the sector’s central role in the UK’s growth story.”

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  • The events industry is only as good as the sum of its parts – the EIA represents all parts of our amazing industry. We are members because together we are so much stronger and are therefore so much better placed to deal with both our challenges and the massive opportunities that lie ahead.
    Simon Parker
    CIBSE
  • The EIA serves as the quintessential industry forum and working group representing the cornerstones critical to all events; the organiser, the venue and the supply chain providing goods and services to the sector. Whilst it’s always been a valuable alliance for the industry, in these times of post-pandemic economic uncertainty and geo-political challenges, the ability for the industry to convene, confer and communicate as a unified sector is imperative as we seek to grow and have an even greater impact on the UK’s social and economic landscape.
    Shaun Hinds
    Newbury Racecourse
  • The EIA is a great forum for collaboration between three of the major UK business events associations. It’s so important as an industry that we speak with one voice, that we collaborate on the biggest issues that we face and that we build mutual understanding and respect. The EIA provides the opportunity to do all of these things and is a made more powerful by all of our contributions.
    Carina Bauer
    IMEX

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