A Recap of the PA Show 2020 at ExCeL London
TLDR: The PA Show 2020 at ExCeL London energized PAs, EAs and VAs with practical exhibitor solutions, talks on development and burnout prevention, networking (including the Global PA Association), and fresh team-building ideas like corporate scavenger hunts - highly recommended.
On the 25th and 26th of February, the vast halls of the ExCeL Exhibition Centre were brought to life by inspiring businesses, visitors, and speakers from across the globe.
The event placed PAs, EAs, and VAs firmly at its heart – and rightly so. As the backbone of any organisation, personal assistants juggle countless responsibilities every day. The speaker sessions reflected this, delivering insightful talks on personal development, self-care, and preventing burnout, all while striving for professional success and a healthy work-life balance.
From event planning and venue sourcing to personal couriers and bespoke merchandising, the exhibition floor offered a solution for almost every challenge a PA might face. As you moved from stand to stand, it was hard not to notice your bag getting heavier-filled with business cards, clever gadgets, and delicious organic treats to keep energy levels high. There was certainly no room for quitters!
Building Connections and Exploring Opportunities
The Big Smoke Events team attended the conference to build new relationships and nurture existing ones, including reconnecting with our friends at the Global PA Association. This fantastic organisation supports PAs through networking and accredited training opportunities. If you’re looking to develop your skills and advance your career, we highly recommend signing up for their newsletter.
The atmosphere throughout the show was electric-comparable to the lively buzz of a bustling mercato. Attendees moved energetically between stands, exchanging ideas, gifts, and plans for future collaborations and events.
Team Building Made Simple
Event planning is a crucial but complex part of a PA’s role. Organising multiple corporate events each year-while ensuring each one feels fresh, engaging, and professional-is no easy task.
Many attendees told us they were looking for team-building activities that encourage interaction and help colleagues discover and build on each other’s strengths. We were pleasantly surprised to find that corporate scavenger hunts were largely unexplored territory, yet sparked strong interest once introduced.
PAs we spoke to particularly valued our end-to-end service-from theme creation and venue scouting to catering and logistics—freeing them from what can otherwise be a very time-consuming process.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the PA Show 2020 was an energising and inspiring couple of days. It gave us the opportunity to reconnect with the ever-evolving world of PAs and gain fresh insight into the dynamic, fast-paced business landscape. We left feeling inspired by new opportunities, potential partnerships, and exciting projects on the horizon.
Highly recommended.
