An Exclusive Conversation with Propshop Events & Exhibitions on the Next Era of Brand Experience
EG Team: Propshop has now become one of the few exhibition-focused companies to enter India's public markets. What does this IPO mean to you personally—and what does it mean for the Indian exhibition industry as a whole?
Mr.Pusalkar: Going public is a significant milestone for any entrepreneurial organisation, but for us it represents much more than a financial event. It is a validation of the journey we have undertaken over the years and the trust that our customers, employees, partners and stakeholders have placed in Propshop. Personally, it is extremely gratifying to see a business that began with a strong focus on exhibitions evolve into a professionally structured organisation with global ambitions. For the Indian exhibition industry,
we believe this listing sends an important message. Exhibitions, trade shows and brand experiences are no longer simply execution-driven businesses. They are becoming an increasingly strategic part of how companies build brands, generate business and engage customers. We hope our journey encourages other companies in the ecosystem to think bigger, professionalise their operations, invest in talent and technology, and explore opportunities to build globally competitive businesses from India.
EG Team: The IPO was priced at ₹69, while the shares opened at ₹55.20 on NSE Emerge. How do you interpret the market's initial response, and what would you like investors to understand about Propshop's long-term story?
Mr.Pusalkar: As the general public was not aware of this industry vertical and this sector of business, Propshop has been one of the only companies consistently contributing toward creating awareness that the Exhibition Industry itself can become a billion-dollar industry in the coming years. Propshop will continue its hard work, retain the trust of its clients, and provide an AI-driven end-to-end experience to help brands achieve their business objectives while positioning the company among the top global players. We respect the market's initial response and understand that a listing reflects market sentiment at a particular point in time. However, our focus has always been on building a strong and sustainable business rather than reacting to short-term market fluctuations.
The IPO is an important milestone, but not the destination. It provides us with greater visibility, credibility, and access to capital markets. Our success will ultimately be defined by how effectively we expand globally, strengthen customer relationships, invest in technology, and create sustainable value for stakeholders. We want investors to view Propshop not as a short-term listing opportunity, but as a long-term growth story driving the future of the exhibition and brand-experience industry globally.
EG Team:The exhibition industry is often perceived as a fragmented, project-based business. How do you plan to transform Propshop from an exhibition stand company into a scalable global events and brand-experience business?
Mr.Pusalkar:We believe the opportunity extends far beyond exhibition stand construction. Globally, there has always been a gap between clients and service providers in terms of trust, understanding the desired visualization needs of customers, and delivering mature, high-quality execution. Propshop has successfully bridged this gap by consistently delivering innovative solutions and building organic trust with more than 1,000 clients across international markets. Today, brands are looking for strategic partners who can understand their business objectives, visualize their ambitions, and execute them flawlessly. That is why we are expanding into experiential marketing, corporate events, performance marketing, and technology-led engagement solutions. Our ambition is to build a comprehensive brand-experience platform where design, execution, AI, technology, creativity, and measurable business outcomes come together under one roof. Within the next five years, Propshop aims to establish a dominant footprint across the USA, Europe, UK, UAE, Asia and APAC markets, further strengthening its position as a globally scalable brand-experience company originating from India. PullQuote: "We don't just build exhibition stands; we build trust, experiences, and global brand journeys."
EG Team: Where do you see Propshop's next major growth coming from—India, international markets, experiential marketing, corporate events or technology-led solutions?
Mr.Pusalkar:We see the next phase of growth coming from a balanced combination of India, international markets, experiential marketing, corporate events, and technology-enabled services. India remains a high-potential market as the exhibition ecosystem continues to grow, while our global presence allows us to serve both international brands and Indian companies expanding overseas. More importantly, Propshop has positioned itself as a single-bucket solution for global clients. Instead of engaging multiple agencies and vendors across different markets and services, clients can rely on Propshop as a unified partner for exhibitions, experiential marketing, events, technology integration, creative design, and business growth initiatives. By providing end-to-end solutions, we help global brands accelerate revenue growth, improve customer engagement, and achieve consistency across multiple geographies. Technology, AI, and data-driven insights will continue to act as strong enablers of this growth strategy.
EG Team: With the company now listed, what are the three biggest investments or strategic priorities Propshop plans to pursue over the next three to five years?
Mr.Pusalkar:There are three broad priorities. First, strengthening our international footprint. We want to deepen our presence in key exhibition markets and develop stronger local capabilities and partnerships. Second, investing in people, systems and technology. As the organisation scales, operational excellence becomes extremely important. We need strong project management, design capabilities, technology infrastructure and talent to deliver consistently across markets. Third, expanding our service portfolio. We want to build capabilities around experiential marketing, corporate events and performance-led marketing so that we can participate in a larger share of the customer's brand-experience journey. The IPO gives us an additional platform to execute these priorities in a more structured and disciplined manner.
EG Team: AI, immersive technology, data analytics and virtual experiences are changing how brands participate in exhibitions. What will the “Exhibition Stand of 2030” look like—and where does Propshop see itself in that future?
Mr.Pusalkar: The exhibition stand of 2030 will probably be very different from the conventional booth we know today. Physical spaces will remain important because face-to-face interaction is one of the fundamental strengths of exhibitions. However, technology will make those spaces much more intelligent and interactive. We expect greater use of AI, immersive experiences, digital content, interactive displays, data capture and personalised visitor journeys. But technology should not become a gimmick. The real question should always be: does it help the exhibitor attract the right audience, communicate its proposition more effectively and generate measurable business outcomes? Our ambition is to be at the intersection of creativity, technology and business results. We see Propshop evolving from a company that builds physical spaces into a company that creates intelligent brand experiences. Potential Viral Pull Quote: “The exhibition stand of the future will not simply be a space to display products; it will be an intelligent platform for engagement, data and business.”
EG Team: Exhibitors today increasingly demand measurable ROI—not just beautiful booths. How is Propshop helping clients move from stand design to lead generation, engagement and measurable business outcomes?
Mr.Pusalkar: This is one of the biggest changes taking place in our industry. A beautiful stand can attract attention, but attention alone is not the final objective. Exhibitors ultimately participate in trade shows to create relationships, generate leads, launch products, meet customers and drive business. Therefore, our approach increasingly begins with understanding what the client wants to achieve. The design, visitor journey, content, engagement mechanisms and technology should all contribute towards that objective. We see data becoming increasingly important in this process. The more effectively we can understand visitor engagement and connect event activity with business outcomes, the more valuable exhibitions become for our clients. The future belongs to exhibition partners who can combine creativity with commercial understanding. Potential Pull Quote: “The future of exhibitions is not about square metres; it is about business outcomes.”
EG Team: India is rapidly becoming an important destination for exhibitions, trade shows and business events. What needs to change in India's exhibition ecosystem for the country to compete with the world's leading exhibition markets?
Mr.Pusalkar: India has enormous potential and is already emerging as a significant hub for exhibitions, trade shows, and business events. However, to compete with the world's leading exhibition destinations, we need continued investments in world-class venues, infrastructure, international connectivity, technology adoption, skilled talent, and global operating standards. Propshop is proud to contribute to India's economic growth by not only building a globally recognized Indian company but also by continuously bringing international clients to India and showcasing the country's capabilities on the global exhibition stage. The exhibition sector has the potential to contribute significantly to India's economy and GDP in the coming years. As more international exhibitions, conferences, trade delegations, and business events choose India as a destination, the industry's impact on tourism, hospitality, logistics, manufacturing, and employment generation will continue to multiply. India is currently ranked among the leading exhibition destinations globally, and we believe it has the potential to become one of the Top 2 exhibition markets in the world in the coming years. As a contributor to this transformation, Propshop will continue competing globally, attracting international business, and helping position India as a preferred destination for exhibitions and brand experiences. Our aspiration is not just to host more exhibitions in India, but to make India one of the world's most respected exhibition and business-event ecosystems.
EG Team: As a listed company, will Propshop consider strategic acquisitions, partnerships or consolidation in India's fragmented exhibition and events-services market?
Mr.Pusalkar: We believe consolidation and strategic partnerships can play an important role in the evolution of this industry. The exhibition ecosystem is highly fragmented, and there are many specialised companies with strong capabilities in particular regions or service areas. Rather than trying to build everything organically, there could be opportunities to collaborate with or acquire businesses that bring complementary capabilities, technology, geography or customer relationships. However, any such decision has to be strategic. We would look at whether a potential partnership or acquisition genuinely strengthens the business and creates value for customers and stakeholders. Our immediate priority is to build the organisation organically and strengthen our existing capabilities. But as a listed company with a long-term growth ambition, we will certainly remain open to strategic opportunities.
EG Team: Five years from now, what would make you say that the IPO was successful—not simply because of the share price, but because of the business Propshop built?
Mr.Pusalkar: Five years from now, I would define success not by the share price but by the strength, scale, and impact of the business we have built. I would like Propshop to be recognized as a globally respected brand-experience company originating from India, serving clients across major international markets with technology-driven and innovative solutions. Success would mean building a stronger international footprint, serving a larger base of global customers, expanding our service portfolio, and creating sustainable revenue growth while maintaining operational excellence and customer trust. Beyond the company itself, I would be proud if Propshop contributes to the growth of India's SME ecosystem by creating opportunities for thousands of small and medium businesses that support the exhibition and events value chain. As India continues its journey of becoming a global economic powerhouse, we want Propshop to be an example of an Indian company successfully competing with international players across the world. Most importantly, I would like our IPO to be remembered as the beginning of a larger global journey—one that demonstrates how Indian entrepreneurship, innovation, and execution excellence can create world-class businesses that make India truly global. Closing Pull Quote: "The IPO is not the destination. It is the beginning of Propshop's global journey from India to the world."
