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Owning the Top Spot: HYVE’s Bold Bet on the Future of Global Events

Posted Apr 07, 2026 | Views 9

# RevvedUP 2026

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Speaker

Mark Shashoua

CEO @ Hyve Group

Mark Shashoua is a proven business builder and transformation leader with a passion for launching, scaling and reimagining what’s possible. Having co-founded Hyve in 1991 under the name ITE Group, he returned as CEO in 2017 with a bold vision to reinvent it for the future.

At that time, the company was decentralised and heavily focused on emerging markets. Mark spearheaded a full-scale transformation, centralising operations, pivoting to a global model and curating a portfolio of only market-leading events. The results speak for themselves: Hyve’s portfolio has streamlined from ~300 to 30, the average revenue per event has increased almost twenty-fold, while the core business has diversified, digitised, and built a foundation for scalable growth.

Entrepreneurial to his core, Mark is driven by an ambition to reimagine the events industry in line with the evolution of growing customer expectations for return on investment and time, as well as experience; transforming expectations of what events can deliver. Under his leadership, Hyve has launched a diverse list of tech-enabled products which are delivering powerful results to some of the world’s leading companies.

Most recently, Mark led the launch of GO27 - Hyve’s three-year plan for growth and optimisation which aims to more than double the size of the business through a combination of organic growth and acquisitions. Since launching the plan 18 months ago, Hyve has completed six acquisitions, strengthening its presence in change-driven sectors such as edtech, healthcare and ecommerce.

Before re-joining Hyve, Mark was CEO of i2i Events Group, the event arm of Ascential plc, where he led a similarly bold transformation. There, he pioneered a “market-leading events only” strategy that turned a declining business into one of consistent double digit organic growth, backed by headline acquisitions such as Money20/20, which scaled dramatically under his leadership.

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SUMMARY

Mark Shashoua shares how Hyve has built a high-growth events platform by focusing on category leadership, buyer-seller dynamics, and scalable ecosystem events. Rather than chasing volume or geography, the strategy centers on owning the “main event” in high-value, tech-disrupted sectors and delivering measurable ROI through curated audiences and structured connections. By prioritizing senior decision-makers, engineering high-quality meetings, and expanding successful brands globally, Hyve has transformed events into powerful growth engines for both customers and the business. The key insight is that the future of events is not about scale alone. It is about precision, access, and continuously solving customer problems across the entire year.

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CONTENT & TRANSCRIPT

[00:00 – 00:02:00] Strategic Focus: End Markets Over Geography Hyve prioritizes specific industry sectors rather than geographic expansion, aiming to own the leading event in each chosen market.

[00:02:00 – 00:03:30] The Rise of Ecosystem Events Modern events combine multiple formats, including conferences, hosted buyer programs, and exhibitions, attracting senior audiences and creating deeper value.

[00:03:30 – 00:05:30] “Stardust” vs. “Gold Dust”

Stardust: High-profile speakers who attract attention and excitement Gold dust: Key buyers and decision-makers who drive real commercial value Success depends on getting both right.

[00:05:30 – 00:07:00] The Core Problem with Traditional Events Most events rely on chance connections. Hyve focuses on engineering connections in advance to ensure meaningful interactions.

[00:07:00 – 00:08:30] The Meetings Engine Pre-scheduled, double opt-in meetings drive ROI, with tens of thousands of structured meetings and high completion rates at major events.

[00:08:30 – 00:10:00] The Disruption Thesis Hyve targets sectors undergoing technological disruption, such as fintech, retail, and healthcare, positioning events at the center of industry transformation.

[00:10:00 – 00:11:30] Convergence Across Industries Tech companies now participate across multiple sectors, creating opportunities to sell integrated access across event portfolios.

[00:11:30 – 00:13:00] Scaling Through Portfolio Strategy Customers are sold across multiple events and sectors, increasing deal size and long-term value.

[00:13:00 – 00:15:00] Expanding Winning Brands Globally Successful event brands are scaled into new regions using proven playbooks, while preserving their core identity and quality.

[00:15:00 – 00:17:00] Founder Alignment as a Critical Factor The success of acquisitions depends heavily on alignment with founders. Misalignment is a key red flag, regardless of market potential.

[00:17:00 – 00:19:00] From Trade Shows to Precision Experiences Large-scale trade fairs are evolving into curated, high-value experiences focused on senior audiences and measurable outcomes.

[00:19:00 – 00:21:00] Matching Model Evolution Different event types require different connection models. High-end events support structured meetings, while traditional trade shows require alternative approaches.

[00:21:00 – 00:23:00] Monetizing Access to Buyers Key buyers are treated as high-value assets, with structured meeting commitments and clear ROI tied to each participant.

[00:23:00 – 00:25:00] Acquisition Strategy: What Matters Most Key factors include:

Strength of the end market Position as a leading event Quality of audience and speakers Growth potential Founder alignment

[00:25:00 – 00:27:00] Continuous Evolution of Sales Strategy Sales has evolved from single-event selling to enterprise-level partnerships across multiple brands and sectors.

[00:27:00 – 00:29:00] Solving Customer Problems, Not Selling Products The focus is on solving access and connection challenges for customers, especially in a world with less in-person interaction.

[00:29:00 – 00:30:00] Building Year-Round Engagement Events are expanding into ongoing community models, including smaller, more intimate gatherings and continuous connection opportunities.

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