“We’re connecting people through innovative, world-class events.” With contagious enthusiasm, Jamal Alturaby describes his driving mission as CEO of The Future Event Media and Productions (TFE). After 19 years in the events industry, this proactive leader has built a customer-centric business model focused on progressive production and experience.
The Future Event was established with the goal of combining traditional event planning with new media creation, adapting to the changing landscape of digital media and technology. Now, under Jamal’s leadership, TFE has emphasized personalized one-on-one business meetings, creating a unique approach in the industry.
He has successfully implemented change management strategies, including the adaptation to hybrid event solutions that integrate in-person and virtual event capabilities. This initiative was critical during the pandemic, allowing TFE to survive and grow by meeting the new needs caused by COVID-19 restrictions. He maintains effective communication and coordination across departments through honesty and transparency.
Key performance indicators like event attendance, sponsorships, ticket sales, and attendee feedback have demonstrated the value of TFE’s proactive focus on virtual events. Jamal closely monitors these metrics to gauge leadership achievement and guide the company’s strategic direction.
With a career spanning from event coordinator to CEO, the Egyptian native has cultivated a keen ability to foresee industry shifts and position TFE at the forefront. His leadership approach balances a business-driven mindset with creative thinking, allowing TFE to continuously innovate based on market needs and audience expectations.
Whether delivering a prestigious corporate summit, an immersive product launch, or an attention-grabbing experiential activation, TFE succeeds by prioritizing quality production and execution. Jamal’s sights are set on continued expansion into new geographic markets and event categories, with the goal of connecting people in bigger and more innovative ways through shared event experiences.
Below are the interview highlights:
Could you give our readers an insight into your company and its inception story?
The Future Event Media and Productions is a company specializing in organizing and producing high-quality events and media content. Its inception traces back to a vision of creating innovative and business-driven experiences that combine both unique conferences and exhibition concepts with ideal customer profiles for solution providers.
As one of the founders of The Future Event Media and Productions, we were inspired by the evolving landscape of digital media and technology and the growing demand for marketing and demand generation in businesses. Recognizing the potential to merge traditional event planning with modern media production, they set out to build a company that could deliver unique and memorable events.
From its early days, TFE focused on integrating the latest concepts to connect buyers and solution providers on one platform, focusing purely on connecting them for 1:1 business meetings.
Can you describe a challenging decision you had to make as a Managing Director and how you navigated through it?
By March 2020, it was clear that the pandemic was not a short-term disruption. Our revenue streams from live events dried up almost overnight, and cancellations poured in. The financial outlook was grim, and the uncertainty was palpable. We had to make a decision: continue to hope for a quick recovery, which seemed increasingly unlikely, or pivot our business model to focus on virtual events, a field where we had limited experience.
When markets opened and we went back to the new normal, market consumer behavior was still on the rise for virtual events. We capitalized on that opportunity and launched our “Go-Private Division, which was primarily designed to cater to solution providers reaching out to their exact hand-picked target audience by creating an exceptional environment for 10 to 50 C-level executives from companies of your choice. From Round Table discussions to Business Exchange meetings and much more, we’re at a scaling point.
Today, our Go-Private division still remains a prominent part of the company, as enterprises and solution providers always preferred the format presented rather than attending general industry events, which were open to all. We continue with our commitment to enhancing the private events sector and aim to be household names in the space.
How do you approach setting strategic goals and objectives for your organization?
We set strategic goals and objectives for The Future Event Media and Productions that involve a structured approach that aligns with our company’s vision and market realities. We defined our vision, mission, and values. We set Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound goals that we have achieved today beyond what we imagined.
What methods do you use to ensure effective communication and alignment across the different departments under your leadership?
We believe in honesty and transparency, which has led us a long way.
Can you share an example of a successful change management initiative you implemented?
Pivot to Hybrid Event Solutions: One of the most successful change management initiatives I implemented was the strategic pivot to hybrid event solutions. This initiative was driven by the evolving landscape of the events industry, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which necessitated a blend of in-person and virtual event capabilities.
How do you prioritize and allocate resources to drive growth and profitability in your role?
We usually start by conducting a comprehensive assessment while setting clear strategic goals. Flexibility and adaptability are key driving factors that we relied on and proved to be helpful. We still have a lot of room for improvement and learning from our peers and colleagues in the event industry.
What strategies do you employ to foster a positive company culture and motivate employees?
The management at TFE solicits employee feedback and acts on it. We begin by being good listeners. We strongly support work-life balance. Be approachable, transparent, and ethical in your decision-making. We show our appreciation for hard work and dedication. We embrace a growth mindset and encourage learning and development.
How do you stay informed about industry trends and developments to make informed decisions?
LinkedIn and Google are combined with regular travel to attend events.
How do you measure the success of your leadership, and what key performance indicators do you focus on?
Resilience, discipline, and consistency are key to measuring the KPIs of my leadership to achieve our goal. In the events industry, it’s all a numbers game. Number of events, attendees, sponsorships, ticket sales, positive and constructive feedback, and much more. We’re slowly heading towards a future with open possibilities.
