AVIXA just announced Marco Pardi as its new CEO, effective Jan. 1, 2027. Pardi will succeed David Labuskes, CTS, RCDD, who retires on Dec. 31, 2026.
Marco Pardi Set to Join AVIXA
Pardi joins AVIXA from Informa, where he served as president of the Tech Events portfolio. In that role, he was responsible for the strategy and execution of live and on-demand events, digital marketing services and training that served the information technology and healthcare industries. He led a team of more than 200 professionals in multiple locations across North America, Europe and Asia, acting as the steward of brands that include The AI Summit, Channel Partners Expo, Contact Center Expo, Data Center World, HIMSS Global Conference, IWCE, Network X and Service & Support World Expo.
Pardi earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of California, Berkeley. He has more than 25 years’ experience leading B2B technology events teams and building community.
“It is an honor to be leading AVIXA,” Pardi says. “Very few non-profit organizations in the tech space have the brand reputation, global reach and programmatic diversity of this association.”
Pardi notes that, as the professional AV industry has broadened in scope, appeal and value, AVIXA has kept pace with those developments. In particular, he cites a full embrace of IT convergence and related disciplines without compromising the passion and commitment that sit at the core of the association’s identity.
Pardi: AVIXA Enables AV Companies
“AVIXA doesn’t just provide connections and information,” Pardi reflects. “It enables AV companies to be more successful and helps AV people be the best at what they do.”
Pardi’s appointment concludes a 12-month search process during which some of AVIXA’s most senior volunteers evaluated applications from more than 100 candidates. A CEO Search Committee led the process, with the current vice chair of the AVIXA Board of Directors, Mradul Sharma (founder and managing director, 3CDN Workplace Tech), serving as chair.
The other Committee members were current AVIXA Board chair Tobias Lang (CEO, LANG AG); chair of the AVIXA Leadership Search Committee, Jatan Shah (president, QSC); AVIXA Board secretary-treasurer, John Bailey (senior vice president, technology & innovation, AVI-SPL); AVIXA Board member Christine Schyvinck (president, CEO and chairman, Shure); former AVIXA Board chair Cathryn Lai (CPO, Interblock); and former AVIXA CFO Greg Feehan. The Committee’s work received support from global consulting firm Korn Ferry.
According to AVIXA Board chair Tobias Lang, the Committee was impressed by Pardi’s experience of leading large and diverse talent pools, his track record of revenue growth based on value, his background serving technology-driven industries and his ability to operate internationally. Above all, he adds, the Committee was impressed by his sheer enthusiasm for the role and the association.
“It’s clear that Marco sees this as an opportunity not just to develop a business but [also] to represent our industry and advocate for the outcomes it delivers to the wider world,” Lang continues. “We are confident he will take both AVIXA and the community it serves to the next level of impact, innovation and growth.”
David Labuskes’ Legacy
During his 14-year term as CEO, Labuskes oversaw the rebranding of the association from InfoComm International to the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association (AVIXA); the rebuilding of core association activities after the COVID-19 pandemic; modernization of the association’s governance and leadership search capabilities; and the introduction of multiple new programmatic offerings.
Those offerings include the ANP (Audiovisual Network Professional) accreditation, the monthly Pro AV Business Index, the AVIXA TV online video creation and distribution platform, and the ‘Broadcast AV: Glass to Glass’ training course designed to help AV professionals navigate the convergence of their traditional skill sets with those of enterprise broadcasting, live event production and media asset management.
“I feel both humbled and privileged to be assuming the role of AVIXA CEO,” Pardi says. He adds, “[I] am confident that, together, we can continue to grow the AV industry globally and enhance our community’s influence at a time of tremendous technological change and opportunity.”
