Smau 2008: a look headed to the ICT Exhibition consolidating its Business-to Business vocation   

SMAU 2008: A LOOK AHEAD TO THE ICT EXHIBITION CONSOLIDATING ITS BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS VOCATION

A round of local events and meetings, the latest ideas for business and government presented through a new campaign by Armando Testa, the ICT Italy Report and a special event within an event dedicated to ICT channels


Milan, 28 April 2008. This year's Smau, with a new format tailored to exhibitors and business partners, visitors and the media, reaffirms its position as the biggest and most comprehensive showcase for buyers and sellers of B2B Information and Communications Technologies.


Among the many items scheduled for 2008 is Smau Business, a round of events for entrepreneurs and ICT managers from the world of small and medium business designed to bring communication and information technologies to their doorstep, with a special focus on industry news and developments in local markets. First stop on the tour, in less than ten days, will be in Padua (7-8 May, PadovaFiere) where 2,000 business people and decision-makers will gather from firms across north-east Italy. Presenting the leading high tech names—Autodesk, BlackBerry, Epson, IBM, Infor, Intesa Sanpaolo, Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, Telecom Italia, Vodafone—the event will offer independent views and information from top analysts and schools in Italy as well as case histories on innovation from firms around the Veneto region. Smau Business will then move on to Bari in November, reaching Brescia and Parma in early 2009.

   
Smau 2008, the 45th International Exhibition of Information & Communications Technology, will take place on 15 - 18 October 2008, newly shaped to meet the needs of business, government and ICT product and service vendors. "With 45,000 profiled visitors, split evenly between private and public sector ICT users and industry professionals, Smau is the biggest annual appointment for the ICTindustry and a leading brand in its own right,” states the Exhibition’s Managing Director Pierantonio Macola. “Smau is fully aware of its role in providing genuine support to digital innovation in private enterprise and government and this year's show introduces a range of new features to respond even more closely to the needs of the market.”


The customary Opening Conference, in a completely revised format, will host the exclusive presentation by Milan Polytechnic School of Management of its annual ICT Italy Report on trends in adoption and use of key technologies by large firms and SMBs, with a special emphasis on cutting-edge innovations.


Besides private and public sector CTOs, Smau 2008 is also keen to reach out to all levels of corporate management with a new Armando Testa advertising campaign which takes an irreverent look at the need for better dialogue between IT managers and other corporate officers: Top Management, Marketing/Sales, Production/Logistics, Administration/Finance and R&D. The Exhibition hopes to broaden its appeal to the widest spectrum of visitors with a varied offering of content to suit every line of business, including the latest market trends and scenarios, vertical pathways for specific departments, independent workshops by leading Italian experts and teachers, success stories on ICT innovation and the Innovation Agenda, a publication designed to help corporate officers make more informed technology choices in each area of the organisation.



Smau is also targeting the ICT channels with dedicated events for ICT product and service vendors, who typically make up 50% of the show’s visitors. A rich program of seminars and workshops will be staged over the four days, with specific information and publications for this important segment. Events will include a dedicated conference which will present the outcome of a study on the most important dynamics in the ICT channels in Italy, with particular focus on changing business models, growth and consolidation strategy (M&As), economic and financial performance, and the latest regulatory developments concerning relations with the banking system. The key findings of the study will be presented in “Speciale Trade”, a new publication aimed specifically at ICT product and service vendors.


Finally, to attract as many business visitors as possible, Smau 2008 will be returning to the Fieramilanocity fairgrounds in the hope that busy business owners and managers will find the central location close to the financial and industrial heart of Milan quicker and easier to reach.

   
For further information: www.smau.it



Contacts:
Smau Press Office, Tel. +39 02 28313239, Fax +39 02 28313235, e-mail press@smau.it





Smau 2008, to be held on 15 - 18 October at the Fieramilanocity fairgrounds, is open exclusively to Companies, Government Agencies and Trade Operators, upon prior registration. Smau is organized by Promotor I.C.T., specialist in trade fairs for the Information & Communications Technology industry.