Interview with Exhibition Director Caroline Pannier: In a strong position for electronica 2026

​“Empowering the All Electric Society” – that is at the heart of electronica 2026, which will open its doors at the Munich Exhibition Center from November 9 to 13. The world’s leading trade fair for electronics will once again present the industry’s entire spectrum of technologies, products and solutions helping to pave the way for an All Electric Society. In this interview, electronica’s new Exhibition Director Caroline Pannier provides an insight into the upcoming trade fair and the results of a long-term analysis of the industry’s assessment of the economic situation.

​There are still a good nine months to go before electronica 2026, but preparations are already in full swing. What can you already tell us about the upcoming trade fair, which you will be accompanying for the first time as Exhibition Director?

​We are delighted that electronica 2026 will once again occupy all 18 halls of the Munich exhibition center, together with SEMICON Europa, taking place at the same time in two and a half halls. That means that electronica once again covers the entire spectrum of the industry, which makes it unique worldwide. To keep track of everything amid this diversity, we have made the hall layout even more coherent and clear. The semiconductor area has also been extended by an entire hall.
As far as exhibitor registrations are concerned, we are at the same high level as for the previous event. All the key players are back on board. There will be a very strong European presence, and we are seeing significant growth in part, from France, Italy, Poland and the UK, for example. There’s also been a high level of interest from exhibitors from the U.S. and Asia.

​What topics will the trade fair focus on in particular?

​In discussions with industry representatives, we have identified three overarching key topics that are currently in the spotlight and that all ultimately contribute to the All Electric Society: artificial intelligence, cyber resilience and energy efficiency. We are currently in the process of refining these themes and identifying sub-topics that are particularly relevant to the electronics industry right now from the user’s point of view.

​What will be new at the trade fair, and what highlights can you already reveal to us?

​As you know, we attach great importance to offering a very extensive supporting program that leaves plenty of room for sharing expertise and ideas, and for networking. That’s why the electronica stages, for experts to provide practical knowledge in talks on almost all fields of application, will once again be set up in the respective exhibition areas. A new addition, for example, is edge lab LIVE, a special area on edge computing that is very practice-oriented with workshops and lectures. There are also award ceremonies, pitch formats and several career initiatives. The CEO Roundtable with top-class speakers will kick off the event on Monday evening before the trade fair starts. The electronica Automotive Conference, where trends and challenges in the automotive value chain will be discussed, will also be held on Monday.

​Messe München recently published a Future Monitor based on exhibitor surveys from the past 13 years. The companies were asked to assess the current and expected future economic situation in their sector. How do electronica exhibitors see the future?

​The evaluation of the long-term analysis produced exciting results for our industry. The electronics companies surveyed are remarkably confident about the future and are far more positive about the economic prospects than the current situation. This optimism clearly shows the key role of the electronics industry. With its solutions and innovative strength, it is helping to tackle current social challenges. Our excellent booking situation underscores just how important world-leading trade fairs such as electronica are. They bring the entire world of electronics together in one place and offer a stage for new products, professional exchange and new impetus.

​The next electronica takes place from November 10 to 13, 2026.