Following last year’s spectacular Annual General Meeting in South Africa, this time it was Japan’s turn to amaze us – and it did not disappoint! For many of us it was the dream destination of a lifetime: a country steeped in ancient history a culture so meticulously preserved in its uniqueness, and a nation so welcoming and respectful that it made us feel right at home. But we digress…
It is official: our AV Alliance AGM 2025 in Osaka, Japan was the biggest event in AV Alliance history. From April 14–17, we gathered 165 people (yes, you read that right!)—including 130 representatives from 70 of our Member companies and 11 of our fantastic Sponsors. With new Members joining our global network fairly regularly (9 since last year’s AGM), on some level we had expected a record-breaking turnout coming… but it still blew us away.
Our global network traditionally meets twice a year: for the Annual General Meeting and a more informal Get Together, each time in a different location around the world and hosted by a local Member company. This time it was our Japanese colleagues’ turn: Takenaka Co. Ltd. is a much respected company with almost a 100-year history, and is the registered Member of our global family in both Tokyo and Osaka, Japan.
Chairman Peter Muller opening the AV Alliance AGM 2025 in Osaka
Our meeting venue and accommodation was the Swissotel Nankai Osaka, a luxury hotel in the heart of the city, famous for its unique location, towering over not just Osaka’s bustling Namba metro station, but also a train station and various shopping malls located underground, as well as surrounding the area. Keeping with our AV Alliance traditions, the AGM kicked off with our customary welcome dinner on April 14, where many hugs were exchanged and chopsticks were wielded with varying levels of skill in the hotel’s stunning Naniwa ballroom, setting the tone for three days of connection, collaboration, and creating memories.
The Annual General Meeting serves as the official evaluation of the previous year’s activities within the AV Alliance, as well as the presentation of the financial status and spendings of the organization, which is then formally approved by the Members in accordance with Swiss law. The two meeting days also include presentations by the AV Alliance, as well as updates from all the present Members and Sponsors on their current activities, and excellent networking opportunities for promoting business connections and personal relationships.
Introducing our new Members and locations (from left to right): Felix Erdmann (BeWunder), Francis Leslie Zabala (StageCraft International), Mervyn Palan (Seven Amps), Katherine Young and Cristián Andrade (Magix Group), Melanie Robinson (WEBB), Louis de La Guillonniére and Marc Hanze (Groupe Novelty)
The two-day conference began on April 15 with a packed agenda of presentations and networking opportunities. Our General Manager Artur Kovacs gave an update on the state of the AV Alliance, including exciting new projects and initiatives. Chairman Peter Muller delivered a fantastic and insightful presentation on the AV Alliance’s key financial insights and metrics, offering various eye-opening and stunning data that made the whole room laugh and take notes and screenshots. Finally, our Board Member and XPAV Expert’ease President Martin Blanchard delivered a presentation on fostering deeper collaboration among AV Alliance Members and elevating quality standards, supported by a showcase by LMG‘s CEO Les Goldberg on their project Hans Zimmer Live.
We also had the pleasure to officially introduce some of our new AV Alliance Members who were present at the AGM: CEO Melanie Robinson on behalf of WEBB in Salt Lake City (UT), Mervyn Palan, CEO of Seven Amps in Mauritius, CEO Cristián Andrade and Country Director Katherine Young representing Magix Group in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, Francis Leslie Zabala, Vice President of Operations at Stage Craft International in the Philippines, and Marc Hanze and Louis de La Guillonniére from Groupe Novelty in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Joining the group on stage were Felix Erdmann, joint CEO of BeWunder (our Member company in Dubai, UAE) who announced the addition of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to their registered AV Alliance locations.
The first day concluded with an almost three-hour long, high-energy Sponsor Networking Carousel, which gave our Sponsors the opportunity to engage in discussions on a more personal level with the representatives our Member companies around their product and service needs.
The current Board of the AV Alliance: Martin Blanchard, Peter Muller, Matt Emerson, Laura Güimil, Joaquin de Elias, Zaki Mustapa (not present: Simon Ackermann)
The second meeting day, as always, hosted the financial presentations of the AV Alliance, followed by the Board Election. We are delighted to share that Board Members Joaquin de Elias (Congress Rental), Martin Blanchard (XPAV Expert’ease), Matt Emerson (AVFX/CEAVCO), and Simon Ackermann (Habegger AG) were all re-elected by the Members of the AV Alliance to continue their work on the Board.
Just like in previous years, we continued our program with a deeply engaging Leadership Meeting led by Board Member and AVFX CEO Matt Emerson, where Members and Sponsors alike shared their insights and experiences on personal successes and challenges in leadership and in life. Next up, Laura Güimil from 2MG.NET – who is not only a member of our Education, Advancement and Outreach Committee (EAOC), but also of the AV Alliance Board – presented the results of almost two years of intense behind-the-scenes work on our very own education platform (but more on that at a later date…).
The day concluded with interactive workshops addressing succession planning and middle management, led by our Board Members Matt Emerson, Martin Blanchard, Zaki Mustapa (Cantuman Wawasan), and Joaquin de Elias, as well as Chairman Peter Muller (Special Effects Ltd). Participants were divided into smaller, focused groups, creating a space for meaningful exchange and practical strategy sharing.
(from left to right) Takenaka’s Ryu Sei, Masato Onishi, Hideaki Takenaka, David Oh, and Ivan Nagpala with AV Alliance’s General Manager Artur Kovacs, Chairman Peter Muller, and Network Coordinator Nora Kosa
We would like to take this opportunity to extend our heartfelt thanks to our local hosts, CEO Hideaki Takenaka, Director David Oh, and the entire Takenaka team. Having worked tirelessly behind the scenes, their dedicated crew – led by Technical Directors Masato Onishi and Ivan Nagpala – delivered an outstanding AV setup for the meeting, creatively incorporating stunning and emblematic imagery, props, and color themes from Japanese culture. Their professionalism, dedication, and support made working with them an absolute pleasure.
We would also like to give special thanks to our fantastic Sponsors Panasonic and Yamaha for arranging visits for our group outside of the official AGM agenda at their facilities in Osaka (Panasonic’s projector factory) and Hamamatsu (Yamaha HQ and Museum).
Group visit at Panasonic’s projector factory in Osaka
On our Social Day on April 17, our group had the unique opportunity to visit the freshly opened EXPO 2025 Osaka. The experience was undeniably exciting and an absolute must for those visiting Japan until mid-October. This EXPO’s theme is Designing Future Society for Our Lives, which offers a unique glimpse into the future of innovation and global collaboration, perfectly echoing the spirit of the AV Alliance.
Furthermore, the world fair also holds strong ties to our network: BeWunder is a turnkey partner of the EXPO, responsible for supplying AV technology for many of the country pavilions. But their involvement began much earlier: since 2010, BeWunder (initially under the name Neumann&Müller Middle East) designed and delivered over 20 thematic and national pavilions at five consecutive World Expos, including the Japan Pavilion at EXPO 2020 in Dubai. In Osaka the company delivered 13 remarkable pavilions – each offering a distinct experience and a bold vision for the future – for the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Uzbekistan, the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Austria, the Philippines, and even the USA. In addition, BeWunder supplied technology for the European Union Pavilion and the ITER Pavilion, which highlights the global collaboration behind fusion energy.
In addition, we would like to thank our Sponsor Barco for the generous invitation extended to our group to enjoy the Belgian Pavilion (and its excellent beers), and to our Member NEO.TM for arranging a visit to the Singapore Pavilion.
BeWunder’s EXPO 2025 Osaka overview
As tradition holds, the AGM also featured our much-anticipated group dinners each evening. While even Osaka’s larger restaurants can typically only accommodate up to 40 guests in multiple separate rooms, therefore finding venues for over four times that many participants eager for authentic Japanese cuisine was no easy task initially. But as always, the stars aligned for us and we enjoyed exceptional dinners at the InterContinental Osaka, The Ritz-Carlton, and, in a heartfelt nod to our much-loved AGM 2023 in Bangkok, the fantastic Suan Bua Thai Restaurant at the Centara Grand Osaka.
In true AV Alliance spirit, the evenings didn’t end with dinner. Spontaneously formed groups took to the streets of Osaka to explore the local nightlife, enjoy a few drinks, and sing karaoke late into the night. These moments of camaraderie and fun never fail to further deepen the already strong bonds within our AV Alliance family.
Osaka nights with the AV Alliance
Until Next Time…
From packed meeting rooms to neon-lit karaoke lounges, AGM 2024 was one for the books. We’re so grateful to everyone who made the trip to Osaka and helped create the incredible atmosphere we all felt throughout the event. The connections made, ideas shared, and momentum built during these few days will undoubtedly fueland inspire our network in the months ahead.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to all our Members, Sponsors, our AV Alliance Board, and our local host Takenaka for making this AGM an unforgettable one.
See you soon in Iceland at our Get Together 2025!
The AV Alliance, 2025