Media Expo represents what’s happening in the industry

Raj Manek laughs easily when he recalls his first few months in India. “We were just seven people in a tiny office,” he says. “No one even knew who we were.” Sixteen years later, as Executive Director & Board Member of Messe Frankfurt Asia Holdings Ltd, Manek leads one of the most dynamic exhibition portfolios in the country. 

“When I came here, Messe Frankfurt India had no real market presence,” he says. “We were up against established players, with no market share in the Indian exhibition space at all. Today, we run more than 15 exhibitions and ten conferences across the country. We’ve built a team of over 140 people and strong relationships with government and industry.”

For Manek, who manages Asia and India operations from his base in London, the India journey has been equal parts test and triumph. With over thirty years in the exhibitions business spanning markets as challenging as Russia, he says India remains the most complex yet rewarding. “Until I came here, I thought Russia was tough. India is definitely harder. 

Media Expo has grown from a signage and advertising fair into a panoramic showcase of how India communicates. Seated amidst its Delhi edition, Manek describes how the event has evolved alongside India’s cities.

“Media Expo has grown with the country,” he says. “The urban development we’ve seen in the last decade has been phenomenal. We try to make sure the exhibition represents what’s happening in the industry.”

“Digital signage has taken off in Mumbai and Gurgaon, but in tier-two and tier-three cities, traditional outdoor and indoor advertising is still dominant,” Manek explains. “The Delhi show caters to the north and northeast, where hoardings and flex boards remain crucial for visibility. You can’t call print signage a dying industry here. It’s still thriving in many regions.”

This diversity, he says, is what makes India unique. “Every segment has its market. While one region moves entirely to digital, another still relies on printed media to reach audiences. Our exhibitions have to represent both sides.”

The layers of the market

For Manek, India’s advertising and print markets operate like multiple countries within one border. “In some regions, print is still the preferred medium. It has to be tangible, on someone’s desk,” he says. “In others, everything’s digital. That’s why you might see our Mumbai Media Expo look vastly different from the Delhi one. Exhibitors know the difference, too. They adapt their booths to match the regional audience.”

The conversation inevitably turns to sustainability, a subject that dominates nearly every modern industry. Manek, who has seen sustainability evolve from buzzword to business strategy in Europe, finds the change in India remarkable.

“Five or six years ago, Indian companies weren’t talking about sustainability at all,” he says. “Now, it’s part of every discussion. The government has pushed it strongly, both in energy and product areas. The bigger companies can afford to lead the way, but smaller ones are catching up.”

Still, the economics of sustainability remain challenging. “It is not fully viable yet,” he admits. “But companies are trying because consumers are changing. The Indian buyer today is more conscious of what they purchase and how it’s made. We must consider the export angle. Global buyers demand sustainable practices. If you want to retain those clients, you have no choice but to adapt.”

Print’s persistent power

Globally, print is shrinking. But in India, Manek sees a different story. “Worldwide, print has declined. People don’t hold newspapers or magazines like they used to,” he says. “In India, however, print remains resilient, especially in trade publishing. Digital is growing faster, at around 12% CAGR compared to 4–5% for print. However, print has been around for decades. It doesn’t need double-digit growth to prove its relevance.”

The reason, he explains, lies in India’s diversity. “Urban development will dictate how advertising evolves. Some cities are investing in digital hoardings; others still prefer flex boards. Both shall coexist for a while. You could publish the same magazine in print in one region and digitally in another, and both would work.”

The Future of Messe Frankfurt

After three decades in the exhibitions industry and 16 years at the helm in India, Raj Manek remains both pragmatic and hopeful. “The market is strong, the economy is resilient, and the appetite for growth is everywhere,” he says. “We’ll keep building platforms that help industries connect and showcase innovation.”

Then, almost as an afterthought, he adds with a grin: “I’ll continue to bring the same passion and drive for years ahead.”

Given the pace at which India’s exhibitions and industries are expanding, it’s a fair bet he will.