Remembering Michael Menezes on his 68th Birthday

EE News Desk Sep 18, 2020

Being associated with the events and experiential industry for almost four decades Michael Menezes played a pivotal role in creating and building the apex industry body for the Indian Event Fraternity as the Founder President of the Indian Event & Entertainment Management Association (EEMA).

He commanded a rare reputation in brand-building and experiential marketing and was the man behind the strategic and tactical vision of the Showtime Group.

It was his passion for perfection and his unflinching attention to detail that catapulted Showtime amongst the top-notch event agencies in the country.

As a tribute to the leader on his birthday, the event industry shares fond memories of him and his immense contribution.

Sanjoy K Roy, Managing Director, Teamwork Arts

Michael Menezes is considered to be one of the founding pillars of the Experiential Event Industry in India. He began his legendary career in advertising and left to set up Showtime, which was amongst the earliest event companies in India. Michael was Founding President of the Event and Entertainment Industry (EEMA) and has won a slew of awards. Showtime has been the technology leader within the industry in India, having pioneered almost every business innovation. Michael loved tech and loved learning and the joy of knowledge and this is what ensured that his work and ideas always had an edge.

Michael loved people and was a great relationship man! Over the four decades he built an enviable portfolio who swore by his advise including, The Tata Group, Infosys, The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Boston Consulting Group (BCG), The Star TV Group, Castrol India, SAP, Daimler Benz and DLF, to list a few. He nurtured his relationships which have endured across 3 decades.

Last year he began working in earnest with Jean to set up the EkPrana Foundation which has a mission to empower people with knowledge that will help them combat lifestyle diseases such as Diabetes, Hypertension and Stress through evidence-based experiential workshops based on the principle of Integrative Healthcare.

Michael loved life, loved people, loved ideas and loved the idea of his new found retirement. You could find him any morning with a cup of coffee, sitting at his local Starbucks, shooting the breeze and catching up on the daily news.

He will be missed.

Sabbas Joseph, Co-Founder and Director, Wizcraft International
Sometimes how special the gift we have is, we realise only after we've lost what we have.

Today we celebrate the life of Michael Menezes, a friend, colleague in our event industry, competitor, elder statesman, and one of those one is proud to have worked alongside with.

As leaders of two competing event companies we competed aggressively and fairly...always flying a flag about the values that we represented. As competitors we trusted each other to do our best always.

And then our association, EEMA gave us the chance to work with each other. Michael Menezes invited me to join the association as a Patron, and then years later flew down to Mumbai only to convince me why I had to accept the responsibility of President-EEMA. I accepted only on the condition that he would always be there as a guiding light to support our work and especially to rein me if I was wrong.

I definitely had fun working with Michael through the four years of EEMA's leadership. More than the work, we enjoyed sharing stories of our journey, and we got to know each other's family better than ever. Michael had a special relationship with my wife Punam and daughter Rhea whom he engaged with separately.

Michael had a deep passion for mentoring young minds and entrepreneurs and we wanted to institute a "management program" together. We've begun this in a small way under WizcraftMIME. As it gets wings, it will serve as a reminder to us all about the true legacy that we need to build....the NextGen that will drive the future of our industry!

Michael was an institution. May his memory always inspire us all.

Rajeev Jain, Director, Rashi Entertainment

Michael Sir, you have left us too early and it’s really not fair…

Michael Sir - The Name Is About Dignity, Personality, Visionary, Go Getter, Achiever And Most Important Loving One.

I still remember the day when EEMA was getting formulated and I walked into Your GK-2 Office to request for Expanding EEMA....You accepted and EEMA is here because of that...

The love and warmth which you have given in last 12 years with your blessings by visiting my office In Every few days and having a cup of tea....I very well know, you were very fond of me and you were actually one who was The Most Respected Person By Me...I Miss it sir..

Though you were 17 years older to me but when you entered in any room or event your persona and presence was always younger than us and nobody can compete with you on that.

I still remember the dance which You and Ma’am did in Antalya is one of the best moments till date...I was tired jumping and dancing but your energy was intact.

Yes, I can clearly and proudly say that you are the only one to whom I used to be frightened in the entire industry and today on your birthday, we all can feel your presence not in this world but in our hearts.

You are our mentor and President and will always remain the same.

Brian Tellis, Co-Founder- Group CEO, Fountainhead MKTG

Michael was the kind of guy who was honest with himself and honest with people around him..what you heard was what you got! He was also fiercely motivated and delivered on promise.

Gitikka Ganju Dhar, Founder- Ministry of Talk, Anchor and Actor

As I had said once, while introducing him on stage - I lived and worked in the times of Michael Menezes.

Memories are personal, I will share a few, but more importantly, Michael was a man of great consequence for the Indian Experiential Industry.

A Founding Father, a genius creator, a towering leader and a nurturing mentor. You went too soon.

The day you passed on, a chapter of my professional life, I wrote the end of.

For me, it was not just the passing of a man whose company was my learning ground and spring board, it was the final closure of a facet of my personality at work, the pampered child. I think, I laid to rest that facet of mine, as I paid my respects to you and thanked the universe.

Memories - Aah, all my memories of you, have you scolding me, indulgently, saying I needed to do better. I'm glad you did that. Till the last time we met at #EEMAGINE, shaking your head and saying - 'There you go again!' And I would laugh and duck for cover.

Sushma Gaikwad, Director, ICE Global and Wizcraft MIME