The Summit
Human2Human Summit · Dubai
Where live-experience leaders meet face to face
A one-day leadership forum in Dubai on the future of in-person engagement, gathering senior executives from exhibitions, large events, conferences and visitor attractions.
1
day of keynotes, roundtables and networking
9
sessions in the programme
2nd
edition, after the first in 2024
The 2026 edition
A day built around content and conversation
The second Human2Human Summit took place on 15 January 2026 in the Al Multaqua Ballroom at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
There was no exhibition. The whole day, nine sessions of keynotes, roundtables and networking, was given to content and conversation.
Held at the very start of the year, the summit was framed as a moment of celebration and renewal for the industry. In our view, January is the right moment to set the agenda for the year ahead.
Read the community's insightsThemes and programme
From the stage to the table
Keynotes on the main stage; roundtables and workshops at the tables, where peers from different sectors compared notes.
Keynotes
Three themes from the main stage:
- Next-generation audiences
- The role of technology in human connection
- The future of live-engagement ecosystems
Roundtables and workshops
Three themes for discussion at the tables:
- Stakeholder collaboration
- AI and human synergies
- Lessons shared across industries
Highlights
What we heard on the day
Four threads from the 2026 programme, and the questions they leave for members.
239,000
visitors at ADIPEC, a show that grew by investing in content rather than margin
Exhibitor sentiment, 2017 to 2024
Exhibitor satisfaction data from 2017 to 2024 showed sentiment improving after COVID, with in-person experience positioned as a premium product.
Our question for members: what makes your in-person experience worth a premium?
Five principles for AI in live experiences
Summed up in one line: "AI cleans the path, humans walk it."
Our question for members: where should AI clear the way at your events, and where should it step aside?
Festivals at a human scale
The programme looked at the future of festivals at a human scale.
Our question for members: how large can an experience grow before it stops feeling personal?
Speakers 2026
Seven perspectives on live experiences
The speakers who shared the stage in Dubai in 2026.
Enrico Gallorini
GRS Research & Strategy
Geoff Dickinson
dmg events
Prof. Gianluca Salviotti
SDA Bocconi School of Management
Sascha Triemer
Aquaventure World, Atlantis Dubai
Diego Cortese
Dubai World Trade Centre
Ted Bloom
Messe Frankfurt Middle East
Joe Drury
Festivals and live events
Who attends
Sectors that rarely share a room
Senior leaders of exhibition organisers, venues, visitor attractions, conference producers and event-technology companies.
What sets H2H apart is that these sectors share one room, so a theme-park operator and a trade-show organiser can compare notes on the same audience challenges.
Attendance is by registration or invitation. Attendees come for cross-industry insight, future-focused content, practical takeaways and networking with peers.
See how members take part