Shows Of India Conclave Concludes on a High Note with 120+ Speakers & 1000+ Industry Professionals

by  EVENTFAQS Bureau Industry Watch | May 7, 2024 | News

Shows of India Conclave Aurika, Mumbai Skycity

The fourth edition of the Shows Of India Conclave, held on April 30, 2024, at the Aurika, Mumbai Skycity, stood as a testament to India's growing global live entertainment landscape. Presented by EVENTFAQS Media and Eva Live, in collaboration with the Event and Entertainment Management Association (EEMA), this event served as a pivotal gathering for industry professionals to exchange insights and explore the latest trends shaping the live entertainment industry.

With three stages hosting over 120 speakers and attracting more than 1000 industry professionals, the Conclave fostered a collaborative environment conducive to meaningful discussions, collaborations and networking opportunities.

The inauguration ceremony, led by esteemed industry professionals, set the tone for the day's proceedings, highlighting the significance of the Conclave in driving forward the discourse on IPs, concerts and other live entertainment formats in India.

A standout moment was the Special Address by Harkaran Singh, General Manager of Aurika, Mumbai Skycity, shedding light on the vision and ethos behind the venue.

Vinod Janardhan, Managing Director of Team Rustic, Director of Eva Live, and the General Secretary of EEMA, provided invaluable insights into the initiatives, challenges, and opportunities within EEMA, offering a glimpse into the future of event management and live entertainment in India.

Harindra Singh, Founder, Chairman, and Managing Director of Percept Ltd, delivered a compelling Special Address on "IP Start-Ups & the Start-Up Ecosystem," underlining the pivotal role of intellectual property in shaping India's entrepreneurial landscape.

Deepak Choudhary, Founder and MD, EVA Live and EVENTFAQS Media said, “I have always believed in the power of live entertainment and as we concluded the fourth edition of the Shows of India Conclave and the inaugural Shows of India Honors we witnessed 120 speakers across 3 stages and 1000 + Industry professionals come together to celebrate the best of IP Industry. This event has not only showcased the best of what our industry has to offer but also set a new standard for excellence and innovation. I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved together, and I am excited to see how it will continue to shape the future of the live events and IP industry in India.”

Meghaa Ghosh, Co - Curator of Shows of India Conclave, Author, Board of Studies - XIC, Creative & Immersive Experiences Director, said, “As we draw the curtains on yet another successful edition of the Shows of India Conclave, I am filled with gratitude and pride for what we've accomplished together. The journey from conceptualization and curation to execution has been nothing short of extraordinary, and I'm thrilled to witness its impact on our industry. I extend my heartfelt thanks to all speakers for being on our stage and sharing their invaluable insights, all our sponsors and partners who enabled our success, and our core team that put this together. The impact of Shows of India in shaping the narrative of our burgeoning industry is profound. Shows of India stands out as a key thought leadership platform, steering the course for our industry's future and defining its evolving landscape.”

The session on "Betting Big on Live Entertainment: How are the Shows of India driving the economy?" brought together industry stalwarts including Brian Tellis, Founder of Radioactive Ventures, Om Pradutt, Director of Aerodome Experiences, Owen Roncon, Chief of Business - Live Events at BookMyShow, Roshan Abbas, Founder of Kommune India, VG Jairam, Founder of Hyperlink Brand Solutions and Deepak Choudhary, Founder & Managing Director of EVENTFAQS & Eva Live as the moderator. The panel explored the transformative impact of live entertainment on the economy, showcasing India's potential as a powerhouse in the global entertainment arena.

It was followed by an insightful session titled "Inside the Artist Manager's Playbook: Successes, Setbacks, and Future Trends." Esteemed industry leaders including Aayushman Sinha, Founder and CEO of Represent; Alaap Gosher, Co-Founder & Director of TM Ventures; Ankit Khanna, Founder of AK Projects and Kalamkaar Music; Dev Bhatia, COO of Big Bad Wolf, and Mezaan Ali, Co-Founder & Director of Farmhouse Music who shared their wealth of experience and expertise. Moderated by Meghana Bhogle, Head of IPs & Touring at Paytm Insider, the panel delved deep into the evolving landscape of artist management.

Following this engaging session, the Conclave shifted its focus to "Artists as Entrepreneurs: The Evolution of Ownership and Intellectual Property in the Creative Industry." Led by esteemed speakers Anurag Rao, Founder of Chain Reactor & MARD; Nakash Aziz, Indian Playback Singer & Music Composer; Nazeef Mohammed, CEO & Creative Director of BTOS Production; Rahul Sinha, CEO & Founder of Under The Radar, and Sharmistha Chatterjee, Singer and moderated by Soumini Sridhara Paul, Senior Vice President at Hungama Digital Media Entertainment, this panel explored the transformation of artists into entrepreneurial entities.

The next session, "Decoding Success: Cash Burn vs. True Triumph - The Evolution of Large Festivals in India (Old School vs. New School Formats)" focused on the evolution of large-scale events in the country. Led by moderator Anto Philip, CEO & Co-Founder of Under 25, the panel featured insights from Joji George, CEO of Percept Live; Sanjay Lal, Founder & Managing Director of Asset Group; Siddhartha Roy, Chief Executive Officer of Hungama Digital Entertainment Pvt Ltd; Suresh Iyer, Sponsorships & Partnerships at Wizcraft; Tej Brar, Head of Festivals at Nodwin Gaming; and VG Jairam, Founder of Hyperlink Brand Solutions.

"Boutique Revolution: Unpacking the Rise of Intimate Experiences in the Entertainment Industry" session spotlighted the burgeoning trend of intimate experiences within the entertainment landscape, showcasing a shift towards more personalized and immersive events. Led by moderator Akshat Kumar, Co-Founder of WMS Entertainment, the panel featured insights from Aayush Bansal, Founder of Verge; Anmol Kukreja, Founder & CEO of Skillbox; Harkaran Singh, General Manager of Aurika, Mumbai Skycity; Mohit Bijlani, CEO & Co-Founder of Team Innovation; Pallav Ojha, CEO & Founder of India Beach Fashion Week; and Varun Gupta, Founder of Ampliify Times.

The Shows Of India Conclave 2024 continued with a session titled "On the Road: Exploring the Lifestyle of Touring with Next-Gen Artists." Moderated by Vaibhav Mota, Founder of Daylight Media & Talent, the panel featured insights from Dhruv Thakker, General Manager of Sales at Exceed Entertainment; Hamza Kazi, Head of Music at Dharma Cornerstone Agency; Nitin Kandhari, Co-Founder of RE:PLAY; and the Music Directors, Shaarib & Toshi.

The next session "Rage Nation: Unveiling the Emerging Electronic Culture" moderated by Nirmika Singh, Founder & CEO of MOX Asia, the panel featured insights from Karan Narang of Paradox, Mohit Agarwal, Founder of Unscripted & Sound Simplify, Priyank Bajaj, Founder of The 3:AM Project, Siddhanth Kapoor, Founder of Rage Entertainment, Sohail Arora, Founder & Managing Partner of Krunk, and Vivek Dudani, Head of Community & Programming at Socials & Antisocials India.

The session "Navigating Profits and Losses: Insights from Companies Dominating the Intellectual Property & Concerts Landscape" featured industry leaders including Owen Roncon, Chief of Business - Live Events of BookMyShow; Sumit Gandhi, Chairman & MD of ABEC; Varun Khare, Business Head of Paytm Insider; Vicky Tulsyan, Founder of The Talent Company India; and Zeenah Vilcasim, CEO of Zomato Live. Moderated by Roshan Abbas, Founder of Kommune India the panel provided valuable insights into strategies and challenges within the intellectual property and concerts landscape.

The preceding session at the Shows Of India Conclave 2024 delved into "Diverse Expressions: Exploring the Extremes of Art, Culture, and Lifestyle in Live Entertainment." Featured speakers included Brinda Miller, Director of Miller Design; Digant Sharma, Founder of So City; Giresh Kulkarni, Founder of Temple Connect; and Nanni Singh, Chief Executive of ShowCase Events, with moderation by Meghaa Ghosh, who brought her expertise as Co-Curator of the Conclave, Author, and an expert Creative & Immersive Experiences Director. The session provided valuable insights and untapped opportunities into the varied facets of art, culture, and lifestyle within live entertainment.

The next session delved into "Global Aspirations: Insights and Lessons for Indian Promoters in the International Market." The panel featured speakers such as Ajay Kanjani, Managing Director of Milestone Entertainment; Deepak Pawar, Founder of Midas Next Media, Midas Events UAE & Icy Dubai; Tarun Chaudhary, Founder of Tarish Music, Tarish Entertainment; Thomas Ovesen, CEO of All Things Live - Middle East; Rohit Rampal, Founder & CEO of Hitman Group; and Salman Ahmed, Founder of PME Entertainment. Shyam Chhabria, Chief Executive of PME Global, moderated the session. Attendees gained valuable insights and lessons on navigating the international market from these industry experts.

The following session focused on "Venue Visions: Exploring Strategies and Challenges in Modern Days." The panel featured speakers including Kumar Razdan, Vice President of NESCO Events; Mayank Lalpuria, Sr. Vice President of The Phoenix Mills; Mazhar Nadiadwala, Managing Director of Dome Entertainment; Nihit Kumar, Cluster Marketing Head - (Retail) Gurugram & ROI of DLF Malls; and Pankaj Wadhwa, Deputy General Manager Sales of Aurika, Mumbai Skycity. Shaju Ignatius, Founder & Director of Ignite Enterprise and Consultant at Laqshya Media Group was moderating the discussion. Attendees gained valuable insights into navigating strategies and challenges associated with modern-day venues.

The next session at the Shows Of India Conclave 2024 delved into "Exploring Regional Frontiers: The Emerging Markets in Live Entertainment." Featured speakers include Chirag Bhatt, Founder of Gypsy Events; Dr. Herambh Shelke, Brand Owner of 1BHK, 2BHK Diner & Key club, Ballr, Pune; Edison Prithviraj, Founder of Exodus; Jason Manners, Founder of Rockski EMG; Srinivas Gunishetty, Founder & CEO of Page3 Entertainments; and Vinay Agarwal, Co-Founder & Director of Trailblaze Productions. Moderating the discussion was Akul Narula, Head of New Business at Paytm Insider. 

In the preceding session the topic addressed was "Maximizing Sponsorship ROI: Strategies for Brands to Get Value for Money in Show Sponsorships." The panel featured esteemed speakers including Ashish Jha, Brand Lead of Bacardi India; Shailja Saraswati, Chief Content Officer of Omnicom Media Group India; Tushar Malhotra, Director of Sales & Marketing at Bisleri International; and Vinit Karnik, Head of Sports, Esports, & Entertainment at GroupM South Asia. The discussion was moderated by Brian Tellis, Founder of Radioactive Ventures. Attendees gained valuable insights into strategies for brands to optimize their return on investment in show sponsorships.

The subsequent session at the Shows Of India Conclave 2024 delved into "Gen Z Formats: Redefining the Touring & Festival Culture in India." The esteemed panel of speakers included Karan Singh, CEO of Spacebound; Olly Esse, Italian DJ, Influencer, and Creator; Salim Merchant, Composer, Singer, and Performer; Shoven Shah, Founder & CEO of Tribevibe; and Jovan Martins, Co-Founder of Collective Artists Network. Moderating the discussion was Raashi Sanghvi, Head of Projects at BookMyShow Live. he panelists shared their perspectives on the evolving preferences and expectations of the younger generation, as well as innovative approaches to engage with this demographic in the live entertainment space. 

The subsequent session explored "Bharat & Beyond: The Global Business of Live Entertainment." Speakers included Thomas Ovesen, CEO of All Things Live, Middle East, and Salman Ahmed, Founder of PME Entertainment. Moderating the discussion was Shaju Ignatius, Founder & Director of Ignite Enterprise and Consultant at Laqshya Media Group.

The masterclass session at the Shows Of India Conclave 2024 focused on "Festival Audiences: Stories That Data Tell Us," led by Rashmi Dhanwani, Founder of Art X Company and Co-Founder of FestivalsFromIndia. Rashmi Dhanwani shared valuable insights and strategies based on data-driven approaches, providing attendees with a deeper understanding of audience behaviors and preferences within the festival landscape.

In the next session at the Shows Of India Conclave 2024, the focus shifted to "Ambitious Visions to Unforgettable Realities: Delivering Mega Format Sporting IPs Successfully." The speakers included Sajid Sayeed, National Event Strategic Masterplanner from Saudi Arabia, and moderator Vinit Karnik, Head of Sports, Esports & Entertainment at GroupM South Asia. 

The next masterclass was titled "Mastering Large-Scale Participative Sports: Insights from the Mumbai Marathon with the Marathon Man." Led by Vivek Singh, Joint Managing Director of Procam International, attendees were offered a comprehensive insight into managing large-scale participative sports events, focusing particularly on the iconic Mumbai Marathon. 

Presented at the Shows Of India Conclave 2024, the case study spotlighted the "Ed Sheeran +–=÷x Tour India." Owen Roncon, Chief of Business - Live Events at BookMyShow, served as the speaker. Roncon's expertise offered valuable insights into the complexities of hosting international tours in India, showcasing a noteworthy case study for industry professionals to glean insights from.

Next session focused on "Festivals & AlcoBev Marketing: Opportunities for Emerging Homegrown Brands in India." Speakers included Swapn Randhawa, Vice President - Brand Relations of Spaceman Spirits Lab; Karishma Chandy, Co-Founder & Right Brain of Happenstance Beverages; and Kartik Mehta, Founder of Single Barrel Whisky. Moderating the discussion was Rajesh Israni, Head of Marketing at Smoke Lab, NV Group. 

In the next masterclass at the Shows Of India Conclave 2024, attendees delved into "Design Language: Crafting the Festival Experience." Aaquib Wani, Founder & Director of Aaquib Wani Design, led the session. Participants gained invaluable insights into the art of creating immersive festival experiences through effective design strategies.

In the next masterclass participants explored "The Unspoken Rules of Spokenfest: Building Asia’s Best Art and Culture Festival." Roshan Abbas, Founder of Kommune India, led the session. He delved into the intricacies of developing Asia's premier art and culture festival through insightful discussions on the unspoken guidelines that shaped its success.

In a special note from SMARTQ, Shriya Kaur, Business Head - Events, extended insights into the company's endeavors. 

In the next masterclass at the Shows Of India Conclave 2024, attendees explored "Owning Your IP: The Legal Framework & Process." Rafael Pereira, Managing Partner of TINNUTS, served as the speaker, offering valuable insights into the legal framework and process of owning intellectual property. 

Following the sessions and masterclasses the event proceeded with a Special Address by Jimmy Choudhary from EVENTFAQS Media, setting an inspirational tone for the evening. The ceremony continued with the much-anticipated Shows of India Honours launch, marking a new era in the live entertainment landscape.

Nirmika Singh then delivered an Editor's Address, highlighting the significance of the honours and reflecting on the industry's achievements. As the evening unfolded, distinguished personalities were honored for their outstanding contributions to the industry.

The event culminated with Meghaa Ghosh - the Co-Curator of the Shows of India summarising the Conclave and delivering the vote of thanks followed by a delightful blend of performances, cocktails, and dinner, fostering an atmosphere of celebration. The evening was a resounding success, honoring excellence, fostering connections, and leaving a lasting impression on everyone present.