IAMT Annual Conference & Awards 2026: first speaker announced

Global sailor, former CFO and creator of The Big Bold Mindset® Casper Craven is announced as a keynote speaker at the IAMT’s 2026 Annual Conference and Awards.

London, 20 October 2026: The International Association of MediaTech (IAMT) announced the first speaker and conference sessions for its Annual Conference & Awards 2026, taking place on 1 and 2 December at the Richmond Hill Hotel, London.

This 2026 event is the association’s flagship gathering, its first under the IAMT name following its rebrand from IABM. With the theme Leading the Next Era of Media Technology, and in partnership with headline sponsor Avixa, this event brings together technology suppliers, media organizations and industry leaders for a day and a half of expert sessions and networking, rounded out with an industry celebration at the IAMT Impact Awards Dinner.

First speaker

The IAMT’s Annual Conference programme explores how MediaTech continues to move beyond broadcast, bringing MediaTech and ProAV industry leaders together to explore the themes and challenges at this transformational time for the industry.

Caspar Craven challenges organizations to rethink what is truly possible.  In this inspirational keynote session on 02 December, Casper draws on his experience as a two-time round-the-world sailor and former CFO with multiple successful exits, to bring a unique perspective on leadership, alignment, and performing under pressure.

The author of The Big Bold Mindset: Rethinking the Rules of Leadership, he will show how setting Big Bold Goals can raise a team’s ambition and performance through uncertainty and change, a challenge every MediaTech business recognizes.

Further speakers will be announced in the coming weeks.

On the agenda

Under the theme Leading the Next Era of Media Technology, the programme looks at how MediaTech is moving well beyond broadcast. It opens with Two Industries. One Future., an address on the convergence of MediaTech and Pro AV, followed by Every Company is Now a Media Company, which examines the revenue opportunities as more industries invest in media-led experiences.

Sector sessions then follow the growth. Content, Cloud & Control looks at software-defined production beyond broadcast, from cloud and AI to distributed workflows and software licensing. MediaTech Everywhere: Inside a Connected Campus explores technology and new teaching models in education, and Mission Critical Media covers government, healthcare and other sectors, including what suppliers need to win healthcare business. Culture & Content turns to how creators and digital-first brands are building audiences and revenue, and pushing MediaTech as they do.

On the commercial side, ROI: The Buyer’s Cheat Sheet sets out how buyers evaluate proposals and assess time to value, and how suppliers can stand out, while AI’s Next Chapter in MediaTech: Defining the Measurable Business Impact looks at where AI is delivering results, how to measure its value, and the governance and skills needed to make it work.

The best of the best

The conference closes the year with the IAMT Awards Dinner on the evening of 2 December, where the overall 2026 IAMT Award winners will be named.

The finalists are drawn from the three IAMT Impact Awards programmes held throughout 2026 at NAB Show in Las Vegas, BroadcastAsia in Singapore and IBC in Amsterdam. Every company and individual shortlisted at those shows is automatically in contention, meaning the Richmond Hill dinner brings the strongest work from across the global MediaTech calendar into one room.

Categories span the full media technology supply chain, including Creation & Management, Delivery & Experience, Operations & Lifecycle, and Transformational Project, alongside the MediaTech Leader Award recognising individual contribution to the industry.

Saleha Williams, CEO, IAMT, said: “It is so exciting to welcome back this beloved conference at a time when our industry stands at a true turning point. As media and MediaTech undergo profound structural shifts, bringing leaders together to focus on vision and leadership couldn’t be more urgent. Caspar Craven sets the tone for a powerful agenda, and the IAMT Awards Dinner gives us the perfect space to celebrate the best of the best across 2026 including the transformative leaders and innovative products and services driving our sector forward.”

Programme highlights

• A day and a half of keynotes, panels and expert sessions from industry leaders
• The IAMT Awards Dinner, naming the overall 2026 winners
• Networking throughout, with accommodation available onsite at the Richmond Hill Hotel

Tickets are available now at theiamt.org/richmond