The agreement between Integrated Systems Events and CMPi will see the two companies being jointly responsible for selling, organising, and promoting ISMEA as the sole trade-only exhibition in the region fully focused on audiovisual and electronic systems integration technologies.

"Just as we successfully partnered with an organization that had strong local roots when we launched Integrated Systems Russia in 2007, so our partnership with CMPi is designed to ensure that ISMEA benefits from having an established sales, operations, and marketing network in the region," comments Mike Blackman, managing director, Integrated Systems Events.

"CMPi is a global company with vast experience of successful international tradeshow organization. Its Middle East operation, based in Abu Dhabi, has grown substantially in recent years, with a number of highly respected B2B events. We, along with our supporting trade associations InfoComm International and CEDIA, have also enjoyed excellent media partnerships with the company. All in all, it is hard to imagine a better partner for ISMEA."

"With the spectacular growth of its flagship Integrated Systems Europe show in Amsterdam, together with its pioneering IS Roadshow and IS Russia events, Integrated Systems Events has blazed a trail for the professional AV and systems integration business across Europe," adds Chris Fountain, group director, CMPi UAE.

"There is a huge appetite in the Middle East and Africa region for these technologies, and professionals are crying out for a fully focused event such as ISMEA. We are delighted to be partnering with Integrated Systems Events for this launch."

As well as a highly focused two-day tradeshow for the commercial and residential systems integration industry, ISMEA will feature an extensive program of education and training, developed jointly by CEDIA, InfoComm International, and exhibiting companies, and with a particular emphasis on manufacturer participation.

And Blackman stresses that ISMEA's target audience will stretch well beyond the AV industry's core channel partners. "The nature of the Middle East and Africa market, with its diverse range of large-scale construction projects in just about every conceivable sector from corporate and education through to sports, hotels and residential, means that architects, project managers, and interior designers are just as important to the AV value chain as integrators and contractors. We will therefore be using our partnership with CMPi to target these groups of buyers who, up until now, have lacked a targeted event at which to learn about the benefits of systems integration technology."

Both Mike Blackman and Chris Fountain will be available for one-to-one interviews after the press conference, and subsequently during the InfoComm International exhibition at the Las Vegas Convention Center.