RX’s president of its UK Hub, Rachel Travers takes time out from her busy schedule to talk about business building, digital innovation, and her new-found love for face-to-face events.
From New Zealand to the UK, by way of the US, Rachel Travers joined RX as president of the UK Hub in September 2023, with responsibility for RX’s businesses in the UK, Middle East, South Africa, Turkey, India and Germany.
She joined from sister company Lexis Nexis, a global provider of legal, business and regulatory intelligence. Her 12-year career with the organisation included three years as managing director of Lexis Nexis New Zealand and, most recently, three years as VP and manager of Law360 in New York. Law360 is the legal news arm of Lexis Nexis and Travers was responsible for a global team of some 500 journalists producing legal news around the clock.
Travers hadn’t worked in exhibitions before joining RX but says that, as she gets to know the business, she can see clear similarities with her previous role: “At the most fundamental level, leadership is about getting a great team of people together, aligning your priorities with your customer needs, and going on a journey to growth. I am excited to do that at RX – not least because the energy levels are like those I experienced at Law360. Whether delivering 24/7 news or live events everything revolves around unmoveable deadlines. It creates teams who are not only incredibly focused, but great fun to be around.”
Recalling her first visit to World Travel Market London, one of the largest events in the RXUK Hub’s business portfolio, Travers says: “I couldn’t get my jaw off the ground. I arrived at the show during build-up and watched them create and run what is effectively a small town for four days. As a visitor to a trade show, you simply don’t appreciate the scale of the work that goes on behind the scenes. Operationally, our team are exceptional. They know how to put on a good event, overcome the myriad challenges thrown at them, and get the job done. It’s impressive to watch.”
With a portfolio of 44 events, serving seven market sectors (industrial, chemical, energy, technology, travel, transportation infrastructure and creative) across the UK, Middle East, Turkey, India, South Africa and Germany, Travers is keen to attend as many shows as she can – not least because it’s the best way to understand the business value they deliver to RX customers.
“I love the feeling of dynamism in the halls, witnessing the animated conversations between exhibitors and visitors, and taking the opportunity to talk to customers on the show floor,” she explains. “As someone new to exhibitions, it has accelerated my understanding of the nature of the experience we are delivering, what needs to be improved, and how we can add more value for our customers.”
Joining RX from a division of RELX, Travers is in no doubt that one of the biggest drivers of growth for RX and its customers is digital tools and data analytics.
“RELX has a global reputation for business analytics and AI, and RX is drawing on that expertise to develop and deliver game-changing digital and data analytics tools that make our face-to-face events even more productive,” she says. “Exhibitors can now generate sales leads simply by scanning attendee badges, while attendees can collect supplier and product information by scanning QR codes in return for their contact details. All these leads are consolidated into our Exhibitor Dashboard, which gives our exhibitors a data-driven approach to measuring and improving their event performance. It’s a thrill to see our Business Builder suite of tools in action on the show floor.”
Travers is also excited about the potential for robust analytics and reporting to drive growth within RX by transforming the business-building potential of its face-to-face events. “By digitising the show floor, learning from data-driven experimentation, and gaining deeper insights into our customers and their needs, we can really begin to double down on delivering value. I think we’re just scratching the surface of that right now.”
Travers has joined RX at an auspicious time for the company – with the pandemic behind it, China fully reopened for business, and customers clamouring to get back to face-to-face events – so much so that many RX events posted record participation levels in 2023. Where does she see the opportunities for growth in the UK Hub?
“I see clear opportunities for organic growth from working smarter, more efficiently and more consistently across our portfolios – be it by geo cloning, adapting high-value visitor programmes to new markets, or simply focusing on and sharing what we do best” she replies.
“I have just come back from a leadership meeting in Tokyo, where our Japan team have been extremely successful at launching adjacencies alongside their events, through a thorough understanding and nurturing of their customer base. We are also in the market for acquisitions. I think being part of RELX means that there is always an appetite for buying and we are actively looking at opportunities across our portfolios.”
To grow, successful businesses need to attract, develop, and retain talent. What impression have RX’s people made on her, and what would she say to anyone considering joining RX to develop their career?
“I think we have an incredibly talented team in the UK Hub and it’s my job to make sure they stay with us,” Travers replies. “That means having clarity around roles, setting clear expectations about what we are trying to achieve, celebrating together when we win, and being honest with ourselves when we don’t. It’s also about giving people the skills and knowledge to fly. RX is nothing without our people and for me, they are the number one priority.
“Joining RX means being part of RELX, one of the biggest information and analytics companies in the world now, and one of the fastest growing, with an enviable reputation as a global leader in data analytics and AI,” she adds.
“You certainly get that sense of innovation and excitement at RX. Like RELX, we are also a company that is serious about sustainability. Our Global Sustainability Council recently published our Roadmap to Net Zero events by 2040, and while we have a big task ahead, I am in no doubt about our leadership team’s commitment to get there.”
During her interview process, several people told Travers that RX is a fun place to work. “And it’s true,” she says. “Not only am I surrounded by talented people who relish the opportunity to take on huge challenges, but we also get to deliver magical event experiences which make a real difference for our customers. That’s show business, and I don’t think there’s anything else quite like it.”
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