2025 IFES World Summit: Get ready to transform learnings into a sustainable future

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM – As we look ahead to the 2025 IFES World Summit in Guadalajara, Mexico (17–20 June), the International Federation of Exhibition and Event Services (IFES) reveal highlights from the upcoming programme. This year’s theme -Transforming Our Learnings into a Sustainable Future- invites us to turn ideas into action.

The Summit offers a dynamic space for exhibition and event professionals from across the IFES network to connect, reflect and collaborate on the future of our industry. With four decades of international exhibition knowledge behind us, we’re building conversations that spark real-world change.

IFES President Jörg Zeissig puts it plainly: “We are not just gathering to talk – we are meeting to tackle issues, provide solutions and to act. The learnings we’ve accumulated over four decades are only valuable if we apply them. Guadalajara represents that action point.”

Fresh Perspectives from Global Voices

Opening the Summit, Gustavo Staufert, CEO of the Guadalajara Convention & Visitors Bureau, will share why the city is fast becoming a hotspot for sustainable innovation – and how that aligns beautifully with IFES’ mission.

He’ll be followed by Innovation and Change Expert Daphne S. Leger, who will deliver a high-energy keynote on the four keys to activating ‘changeability’ – a skill we all need in today’s unpredictable world. Her insights into both planned and unexpected change will resonate across industries and age groups.

Futurist Borja Castelar will explore the digital shifts transforming exhibitions and what this means for the next generation of professionals. And bringing a creative lens to the conversation, Felipe Linares of Cocolab International will show how immersive design and storytelling can strengthen audience engagement far beyond the show floor.

Panels That Push the Conversation Forward

In Breaking Barriers: The Power of Reverse Mentorship, the IFES Talent Team (ITT) hosts a lively discussion on how younger voices are reshaping leadership. Expect honest conversations and shared strategies on how cross-generational mentorship can inspire growth, inside and out.

Then there’s Same But Different, a bold session moderated by Ana Maria Arango that brings together organisers, venues and service providers to unpack some of the industry’s most persistent challenges. Panelists including Giselle Chavez Carmona, Marie Browne and Mariane Ewbank will dig into what’s not working – and what could – through open, cross-sector dialogue.

Committee-Led Power Sessions

Short, sharp and interactive, the IFES Committee Power Sessions are designed to generate practical takeaways and community input. Level Up Your Sustainability Game offers a peer-to-peer look at certifications, successes and stumbles in implementing sustainable practices. Shape the Future of IFES Education invites attendees to have a direct say in the development of future Masterclasses, with insights from leaders like Lee Ali, Han Leenhouts and John Pavek. And in From Vision to Action, Louisa Lorenz and Martijn Besaris lead a working session on building effective and lasting mentorship structures within IFES.

Momentum for the Next Chapter

As IFES celebrates over 40 years of international collaboration, the 2025 World Summit is set to be more than just a meeting- it’s a moment to co-create the path forward. Whether it’s your first Summit or your fifteenth, you’ll find global ideas, fresh thinking, and a warm welcome waiting in Guadalajara.

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