The completion of the 2024 EAG trade show at ExCeL on January 16 will see current chairman of the organisation, Martin Burlin, stepping down from the role he has held since 2009 when he originally set it up for owners Bacta.
Image: Martin Burlin
Burlin will make way for his current deputy, Nick Harding, who will work with show director Nicola Lazenby and her team on the 2026 event.
Martin Burlin told us this week: “I have had a 15-year run at building this event up for the association and as the industry will see on January 14 when the 2025 show opens its doors in London, it has come a long way. It is now time to step back and allow a fresh pair of eyes to work on taking the show to the next stage. Nick and Nicola, with their team, are well-equipped to do that.”
Nick Harding joined the organisation as an ‘ambassador’ last year to help promote a new offshoot, the London Casino and Gaming Show. His experience in originally setting up the two biggest chains of adult gaming centres in the UK, will prove useful during the coming year. That was the view of Bacta president John Bollom who said this week that Martin is leaving the show in very safe hands. “Martin Burlin has lived with this show for 15 years now and is going to be regarded by all of us as the ‘father’ of the EAG show. Nick has a tough act to follow, but we have every confidence in him.” Burlin, a former president of Bacta himself, will remain on the EAG Board as ‘senior non-executive director’.
Image: Nick Harding
Nick Harding told us this week: “I have a massive job to do to live up to Martin’s standards, but I am relishing the challenge, particularly as the show is developing and evolving all the time. This year is in three distinct parts: the traditional EAG for the amusements industry, the Social Immersive Entertainment Expo (SIEE) for the newly-emerging competitive socialising market and the London Casino and Gaming Show (LCG) for European land-based casinos, let’s see where we go in 2026!” He added: “Next month’s show will be Martin’s swansong, but I am sure that he will always be in the background on the Board to offer valuable experience and advice.”
