IBTM World 2026 has named historian and award-winning author Dr Eliza Filby as its opening keynote speaker. Her appearance will place artificial intelligence, generational change and human connection at the centre of the international business events agenda.
Filby will deliver “Now and Next: Understanding People in a Changing World” at 09:00 on Tuesday, 17 November. The session will open the three-day exhibition at Fira Barcelona Gran Via in Barcelona.
Her keynote will examine how geopolitical uncertainty, economic pressures, demographic transformation and emerging technologies are changing human behaviour. It will also consider how these forces influence expectations surrounding work, communication, consumption and live experiences.
The programme arrives as event organisers, destinations, hotels and technology providers reconsider how people gather in an increasingly digital world. For the tourism and hospitality sectors, those behavioural shifts could influence venue design, delegate services, business travel and destination marketing.
AI Reshapes Expectations Across Global Events
Artificial intelligence will form a central part of Filby’s keynote. She will explore how deeper technology integration is changing relationships and influencing the experiences that different generations expect.
This issue carries growing importance for event professionals. AI can support personalisation, planning, audience analysis and operational efficiency. However, live events must also provide meaningful personal interaction that digital platforms cannot fully reproduce.
Filby said the value of gathering people would increase as technology became more embedded in everyday life. She described events as profoundly human experiences that allow people to exchange ideas, establish trust and develop a sense of belonging.
Her analysis will help attendees assess how quickly audience expectations are changing. It could also guide organisations seeking to balance automated services with authentic engagement across conferences, exhibitions and corporate events.
Generational Change Influences Experience Design
Filby brings expertise spanning generational attitudes, family wealth, longevity, consumer behaviour and the future of work. She is the author of three books, including Inheritocracy: It’s Time to Talk About the Bank of Mum and Dad.
The book examines how inheritance and family wealth affect opportunity, adulthood and social mobility. These themes provide additional context for understanding how different generations approach spending, employment, travel and shared experiences.
Filby also founded All Relative, which helps businesses navigate changes involving work, wealth and society. Her research and advisory experience has included collaborations with major international organisations.
She holds a doctorate in contemporary history from the University of Warwick. She has also taught at King’s College London and Renmin University in Beijing while delivering lectures internationally.
Claudia Hall, Exhibition Director of IBTM World, said Filby could interpret major social changes and explain their consequences for people and businesses. Hall added that her perspective would help the industry consider rapid technological change within a broader social context.
Main Stage Brings Leadership and Technology Together
IBTM World will expand the discussion through a Main Stage programme covering leadership, technology, experience design and human behaviour.
Lieutenant Colonel James Shaw LVO will draw on his involvement in planning and delivering the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. His session will examine preparation, precision and decision-making during an occasion with no margin for error.
The discussion will translate lessons from high-pressure operations into practical considerations for business strategy, large-scale experiences and event management.
Megan Henshall, Head of Partnership Strategy, Workplace Experience at Google, will join Al Turner, Managing Director of Eight PR and Marketing. Together, they will discuss the IBTM Trends Report, “Disruption to Belonging in the New World of Experience.”
Their session will consider how organisations can strengthen human connections during technological, demographic and economic change. Henshall will also examine how considered experience design can support engagement and belonging.
Therapist and DJ Hesta Prynn will add an interactive element by exploring how music affects confidence, mindset and emotional preparation. Her session will demonstrate how sound and rhythm can prepare people for important professional and personal moments.
Barcelona Prepares for Global Events Community
IBTM World 2026 will take place from 17 to 19 November at Fira Barcelona Gran Via. Organisers expect more than 12,000 meetings and events professionals alongside over 2,500 destinations, hotels, venues and event suppliers.
The exhibition will connect planners with hospitality brands, tourism destinations, technology providers and creative specialists from around the world. Its scale will create business opportunities for Barcelona’s hotels, restaurants, transport services and wider visitor economy.
Across three days, participants will attend scheduled meetings, networking sessions and educational programmes. The event will also give destinations and suppliers a platform to present new products to influential international buyers.
By opening with a discussion about people rather than technology alone, IBTM World is highlighting a defining challenge for the industry. As AI accelerates change, successful events will increasingly depend on using innovation while protecting trust, participation and genuine human connection.
