“I am fortunate to join Spintelligent at a very exciting time in the company’s history” says David Ashdown, the new Managing Director of leading Cape Town-based Trade Exhibition & Conference Organiser, Spintelligent Pty.  

Part of the global media group, Clarion Events, Spintelligent organises internationally recognised and acclaimed industry forums such as African Utility Week, Clean Power Africa, African Education Week and the Katanga Mining Briefing. Active around the continent with 15 projects, the company also produces the leading trade publications and portals:  Metering International, ESI Africa and Mining Review Africa.

39-year-old David Ashdown, born and educated in the UK, boasts some 17 years’ experience in the exhibition industry, working mainly in the emerging markets of Asia & Eastern Europe.  For the past two years, he was Clarion Events’ International Business Development Director.

Leadership Restructure
Says the new Spintelligent MD:  “we have an organisation and team perfectly positioned to work in the dynamic and challenging emerging markets of Africa boasting a 1.07 billion population from 54 countries, with a combined GDP in excess of $1.85 trillion (equal to India) and the fastest growing middle-class population on the planet today.  My recent experience is working in the emerging markets of Eastern Europe and I can see many trends and similarities that resonate.”   

The company is currently developing and launching new projects in the Power, Agriculture, Mining, Defence and Security sectors.  He explains:  “with a stable South African base portfolio and 15 years of experience, knowledge and relationships across Africa we are targeting future growth from across the continent.  Focusing on core industry sectors our aim is to build product utilising our skills as a conference organiser and developing exhibition organiser.  My aim is to retain an agile organisation that can respond quickly and effectively to changes in market dynamics and can be creative in its approach, in bringing product to market.”  

To this end the senior management team was recently restructured with Le-ann Hare, who has been with Spintelligent for 12 years, being promoted to Commercial Director Conferences and Exhibitions, Philip van der Gucht appointed as Commercial Director Publishing and Murad Ibrahim, who was with Naspers Media Group for eight years, appointed as Finance Director.

Ambitious growth plans
David Ashdown says the management team are “all hugely experienced in African events and media.  If I can give them the support and create the environment and infrastructure they require to perform at the highest level I know we will see our portfolio continue to record positive growth.  We have ambitious growth plans for the region.  It is going to be an exciting journey.”

Upcoming Spintelligent events:
•  iPAD DRC:  DRC Mining & Infrastructures Indaba - Kinshasa, DRC:  10-11 October 2013
•  iPAD DRC:  Katanga Mining Briefing - Lubumbashi, DRC:  15-17 October 2013
•  iPAD Mozambique:  Power & Gas Forum - Maputo, Mozambique:  22-24 October 2013
•  Maritime & Coastal Security Africa - Cape Town, South Africa:  25-26 November 2013
•  West African Power Industry Convention (WAPIC) - Lagos, Nigeria:  26-27 November 2013
•  Agri-Business East Africa - Dar es Salaam, Tanzania:  28-29 January 2014
•  African Utility Week - Cape Town, South Africa:  13-14 May 2014
•  Clean Power Africa - Cape Town, South Africa:  13-14 May 2014
•  Copperbelt Mining Trade Expo and Conference - Kitwe, Zambia:  28-29 April 2014

Contact:
Communications manager:  Annemarie Roodbol
Telephone:  +27 21 700 3558
Mobile:  +27 82 562 7844
Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Spintelligent
Spintelligent is part of Clarion Events, a global business-to-business event organiser with over 500 staff in offices in the UK, Netherlands, United States, South Africa, Brazil, UAE and Singapore. Spintelligent forms part of Clarion’s specialist energy and utilities portfolio which also includes Synergy and The Energy Exchange. Spintelligent has established itself as the key strategic information provider to the global metering, meter-to-cash and customer-end technology sector and as a specialist in African infrastructure development, with a focus on the power and mining sectors.

For more than 15 years, Spintelligent has been building, sharing, connecting and thinking about the business sectors we serve. Our industry leading media products – publications, online portals, conferences, exhibitions, industry reports – enable us to share knowledge and insights, build relationships and deliver real business value to our customers and stakeholders.

Spintelligent is recognised for its print and electronic publications, with market-leading brands including Metering International, ESI Africa and Mining Review Africa. Its regular global events and exhibitions, as well as its critical business intelligence and integrated marketing services make it a leader in its field. The company’s highly skilled resources in management, marketing, research and production allow for unique products bridging the developed and developing worlds.

Websites:  www.spintelligent.com