Paul Flackett has died after a long illness, aged 69. The former managing director of Imex was an industry leader in the true sense, helping to guide real change in his three decades plus in the events industry.

He was one of the triumvirate that created EIBTM in Geneva in 1988, the trade show that broke the industry mould by inventing the hosted buyer concept. Flackett worked with Ray Bloom and John Haynes to make EIBTM a huge success before Bloom sold it to Reed Exhibitions.

During that time, Bloom and Flackett forged a strong friendship that stood the test of time. When Bloom decided to come back into the industry with the launch of Imex, four years later, it was natural that he would turn again to his old ally to create the new event. 

Flackett’s strength was in building long-term relationships with customers and turning them into friends and supporters. In the past few of months, Flackett’s hospital ward was full of cards and letters from well-wishers all over the world. He said of them: “I feel like a rock star - the nurses are amazed. They think I must be famous!”

He always had a profound grasp of self-deprecation and could never quite believe his luck at arriving in the events industry and enjoying the life he did. When he was president of the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence – an organisation he served for many years – they brought him into the conference in Auckland on a racehorse to rapturous applause. He said to me afterwards: “Not bad for a boy from Birmingham.” It was one of his favourite lines and often repeated.

A working class Brummie to his roots, he was, however, a Manchester United supporter and he and Bloom’s shared love of football meant they took advantage of their travels to visit some of the world’s most famous grounds together.

I worked with him before he joined Imex. In the early 1980s we worked for a magazine called Conferences & Exhibitions and became and remained great friends. I remember him as an excellent organiser but also very creative. His records were fastidiously maintained and his planning was detailed. We travelled widely together and I always enjoyed his wit and charm. He valued his friends greatly. 

Ray Bloom said: “Paul has been by my side as a friend and in business for over 30 years and was an inspiration to us all in how he conducted himself throughout his career.”

Martin Lewis