FESPA Australia held its annual conference last week at the Shangri-La Hotel in Sydney, bringing together industry professionals from across the country to connect, share insights, and explore the future of print and emerging technologies shaping the sector.

In his opening address, FESPA Australia president Nigel Davies delivered a compelling message: “Standing still is not an option for today’s business leaders”.

“We are at a fascinating intersection. The more we automate and become productive, the more human we must also become,” he told delegates.

Davies emphasised that leadership today means balancing this paradox – leveraging technology and data to improve efficiency, while cultivating a workplace culture rooted in empathy, trust, and shared purpose.

“This conference is about exploring both sides of that paradox,” he said.

 “But beyond the details, here’s what really matters: in this sea of change, we as leaders must reinvent our companies. We must reassess what we stand for, where we’re going, and how to align our people and strategies to get there.”

Davies also reflected on FESPA’s own journey. Since the 1960s, FESPA has been a network of associations organising global trade shows. For years, its tagline was ‘Profit for Purpose’, a nod to its non-profit model where revenues were reinvested into the industry through its associations.

“I loved that tagline. It gave meaning to what I do as a volunteer,” he said.

However, after a two-year process involving alignment across 37 member associations, FESPA recently shifted its tagline to ‘Connect. Inspire. Support.’ – a move that initially met with resistance, according to Davies, but ultimately led to a deeper organisational reflection.

“We realised that ‘Profit for Purpose’ describes what we do. ‘Connect. Inspire. Support.’ describes why we do it,” Davies said.

Davies underscored the importance of human connection across all levels of the industry – whether it’s a small regional sign shop or a large-scale production business working with global brands.

“It’s all about connection – between you, your team, your suppliers, and the wider industry,” he said.

“Inspiration drives innovation. We inspire each other when we share our challenges, experiences, and risks. That’s where growth happens. And support is what holds us together. This industry has always been built on reciprocity – the giving of knowledge, the lending of perspectives, and the sharing of lessons learned.”

Davies concluded with a reminder that, while the world is automating faster than ever before, it is these human relationships that will shape the industry’s future.

“For many of us, these are difficult times. Behind every brave face is someone dealing with real challenges. So, share your experiences, your curiosity, and your perspective – you might just spark a connection that leads to something meaningful,” he said.

“In a rapidly changing world, human connection may be the most important work we do.”

Hosted by comedian Sam McCool, the conference sessions began with a keynote address by David Fish, a globally recognised strategist and business leader.

This was followed by a panel discussion on the role of AI and how business leaders can work smarter, not harder. Panellists included Nigel Davies, Errol Brandt, and Christopher Minn.

Another highlight was a cybersecurity panel, where industry experts warned of the increasing frequency and severity of cyber threats – and urged business leaders to take proactive steps to protect their organisations.

Panellists Daniel Watts, Zara Schroff, and Richard Berkhan brought practical insights and shared real-world experiences to help attendees better understand the current cyber landscape and what they can do to mitigate risk.

CulturAlchemy’s Carl Harman, who also facilitated the FESPA Leaders Program, presented on leadership.

The event concluded with a presentation from Easy Signs USA COO Steph Wilbox, who shared her career journey from dispatch co-ordinator to operations manager, before leading Easy Signs’ successful expansion into the US.  

Comment below to have your say on this story.

If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@sprinter.com.au.  

Sign up to the Sprinter newsletter