This year marked the first 100% Optical run by new organisers, CloserStill Media, which acquired the trade show in October 2024.
A specialist events business, CloserStill runs more than 100 events in healthcare, business technology, and future transport and infrastructure.
OT, official media partner of 100% Optical, met Rob Chapman, commercial director for the human and animal healthcare portfolio at CloserStill, to find out more about the new organisers of the trade show.
1 CloserStill Media has a background in events for healthcare sectors
CloserStill started in 2009 and its first events were in the healthcare sector. Chapman explained: “We bought a small business that ran the Pharmacy Show and the Dentistry Show. Later that year we launched a vet show in London.”
The portfolio has grown since then to 19 healthcare events in primary and secondary care.
2 The new owners observed 100% Optical “for a long time”
Chapman explained that CloserStill has watched 100% Optical “from afar” for some time, recognising the “absolutely fantastic job” of the previous owners of the event, Media10, in growing the event.
“CloserStill Media has always focused on trade shows with that medical focus, so we often wondered about how 100% Optical could fit in our portfolio,” he added.
Reflecting on 100% Optical 2025, Chapman told OT that the experience of the three-day event re-affirmed their thoughts: “The profession, the exhibitors, are just a really good bunch of people who really care about their business and their industry. Which fits so well with so many of the other markets we serve.”
3 A prevailing sense of community connects 100% Optical with the existing portfolio
At the first 100% Optical event held by CloserStill Media, the team explored the similarities between the show and existing events in the portfolio.
Chapman said: “There might be some things that we can learn and some things we can bring across, but really it’s the similarities I’m interested in. The similarities are the importance of CPD and the importance of the exhibitors in supporting the event, but probably the biggest thing is the importance of the community.”
“We serve a lot of professionals who need a sense of community, and they don’t often get that in their work life in the same way as they can at an event like this, where they can meet a lot of people – old friends and new – who go through similar situations,” he continued.
Chapman concluded: “That, for me, is the similarity that really brings everything together – and the more we can do to harness that across all our brand, the better we’ll be.”
100% Optical 2026 will take place at ExCeL London from 28 February – 2 March.
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