Events for People, Powered by Tech - International Confex 2026

Grey Dog’s event team met up in London recently for International Confex 2026, where they networked, took notes and got plenty of great insights.

If you don’t know it, International Confex is a key gathering that brings together over 5,000 MICE professionals at Excel London every year, with suppliers, venues, and tech providers in assistance, as well as captivating content from industry experts.

We debriefed the team after their visit and found a couple of things stood out for them. The first was that the event space and content offering was designed with the attendees’ needs in mind. Confex takes place over 2 days in a sizable venue; most professionals can’t afford to pause their work for 48 hours to take in everything that’s on offer. That’s where solutions like quiet areas for work and coffee, a sensory room and headphone‑enabled sessions came in.

“[This] highlighted something often overlooked: delegates are time‑poor and over‑conferenced. Creating environments that let them get work done, hold the meetings they need and manage real life while onsite is essential,” says Olivia, our Head of Strategy, about the way Confex was thought out.

It’s an AI world

The second most notable takeaway was how much of the conversation revolved around AI —though this was not a surprise! There were interesting debates on how events professionals can integrate AI alongside existing best practices, rather than overhauling them entirely, to ensure better experiences for their guests while keeping the human touch. Essentially, letting people guide the tech and not the other way around.

“The message at Confex was clear: AI isn’t just hype —it’s here to stay and will continue to evolve," explains Clare, Grey Dog’s Event Development Manager. “Speakers emphasised that AI should enhance, not replace, with human creativity and empathy remaining at the heart of great events.”

According to Clare, potential practical applications to experiment with include event technology, smarter matchmaking and networking, deeper engagement, and more data-driven decision-making. “All the things that are at the forefront of our client's events strategy already,” she points out.

The consensus was to research, experiment, and take small, intentional steps; testing enhancements, separating genuine long-term trends from short-lived hype, and using AI to personalise and strengthen what the events industry already does so well.

“I’m excited to see where the future of events and AI takes us. And even more excited to bring our clients along with us on that journey! There is lots of opportunity, potential and impact to be made,” says Clare.

Keeping things practical

With ten content theatres offering keynotes, panels and discussions over 2 days, there was also an abundance of hands-on, practical advice on offer.

“‘If you don’t know why you’re recording your event then you probably shouldn’t’. I liked that, as it speaks to planning, intention and knowing the value of your content post-event,” says Laura, our Senior Event Manager.

Jay Donegan, Grey Dog’s Head of Operations, has been known to call event content ‘gold dust’ (you can listen to all his insights on the value of events here). What he means is that in the weeks and even months after an event, your team will have videos, photos, session recordings and attendee reviews to take their content strategy to the next level. All these help build brand authority and loyalty, as you are expanding the connection created by a shared experience with your customer.

For this to work, of course, you have to make sure your event content is top quality. One of the sessions our team attended at Confex focused precisely on this issue, and the speakers delved into why moderator training is key to getting the best out of a panel discussion.

In Laura's words: "The moderator is responsible for the atmosphere in the room, so you need to make sure they can read the audience and make the panellists feel at ease. They should also have a good understanding of each panellist's area of expertise, so they can get the most engaging answers from them."

The best way to achieve this is pre-session brief calls where all involved can run through the questions, discuss their particular interests within the broader subject of the session and get a sense of each other. All this comes across when on stage and makes for much more engaging content.

The human touch

“The best technology is invisible. If it feels clunky or disruptive, it doesn’t belong. Seamless integration is the goal." Our Event Executive Vanessa Dobre took note of this as a reminder that using technology at events for the sake of technology doesn't guarantee a successful experience. A great event is a carefully thought out experience that caters to the specific needs of both the attendees and the host.

"I liked the panel on why event tech still needs a human touch. I feel that in every event we coordinate; the best moments are when we greet delegates at the door or see people genuinely connect over a shared interest,” says Vanessa.

As far as greeting delegates, another panel revolved around event registration best practices, from online sign ups to on the day, in person welcomes and the sometimes awkward gathering of personal information all this entails.

One delegate in the audience, for example, asked for tips for increasing in person attendance rates. Part of the advise he got, which we often give our clients, was to hold off on promoting the virtual pass option until closer to the event date, to encourage people to sign up in person.

In a post-COVID world, virtual events still can't fully replace being there in person; they don't offer the delegates the same experience, and the brands don't get the same chance to connect with their audiences either.

As we navigate a moment of digital saturation, people crave more real life connections; and brands are paying attention. According to Marketing Charts, 68% of B2B marketers rank events among their most effective lead sources. This is backed by a recent paper published by Somerset House, where they note a 10.3% increase in UK event marketing budgets in Q3 of 2025: "This marks the second consecutive quarter of strong growth, driven by renewed demand for face-to-face engagement and measurable impact in lead generation".

Our own report on the event landscape and what's shifting this 2026 looks precisely at how, for many organisations, events are now the only meaningful human touchpoint left. But this also means the bar is higher than ever, and delivering events that move the dial takes strategic, commercial and brand-oriented planning and execution.

If any of the above speaks to you and you want to find out how we can help you host an outstanding event, get in touch!