Attendees of NAMM NeXT Europe 2026 gather for a group photo.
NAMM NEXT EUROPE 2026 ELEVATES GLOBAL MI STRATEGIC VISION N AMM held its NAMM NeXT Europe 2026 executive leadership summit June
industry together in one place,” said Mar- cel Messner, CEO of GEWA Music. “None have really pulled it off, until now. NAMM NeXT in Amsterdam made it happen. That’s what sets NAMM apart as the global, leading association of our industry: They deliver. Bringing manufacturers and the education sector to the same table — two worlds that, frankly, barely knew each other existed — is where real opportunities for the future are born. The mission is clear: Create more music makers. And with the European Soundmak- ers stepping up, we’re moving in the right direction.” The 2026 summit featured presentations from economic, technology and education experts alongside interactive executive work- ing groups designed to generate actionable business insights and cross-sector collabora- tion. Discussions focused on global trade and economic trends; artificial intelligence; evolving consumer behavior; the latest de- velopments in retail, manufacturing and live events; and music education advocacy. A central component of NAMM NeXT Europe remained its executive working-group format, where participants collaborated across three strategic tracks: commercial, retail and live event. These facilitated sessions explored next steps for growing the industry, adapting to disruption and creating more music mak- ers. The groups also encouraged participants to develop collaborative strategies designed to support sustainable industry growth and innovation beyond the summit. “It was a pleasure to be part of NAMM NeXT Europe and engage with industry
leaders on the economic and geopoliti- cal forces shaping our future,” said Koen Berden, managing director of Trade Impact B.V. and senior fellow at ECIPE. “During my session, I explored the European geo- economic and trade outlook, highlighting how the weaponized economy with control of chokepoints, evolving trade policies, shift- ing global alliances and broader economic trends are creating both challenges and op- portunities for businesses across the music products industry. As Europe continues to navigate a complex global geopolitical land- scape, staying informed, adaptable and being prepared for the unexpected will be critical for organizations looking to thrive in the years ahead. I appreciated the thoughtful discussions and exchange of ideas that made NAMM NeXT Europe such a valuable forum for forward-looking leadership.” The summit reinforced the growing im- portance of collaboration between the music products industry and European music educa- tion organizations. Education leaders shared updates on advocacy initiatives and explored untapped opportunities to support future generations of music makers and strengthen music education access throughout Europe. NAMM plans to continue the NeXT platform. The next NAMM NeXT sum- mit will take place in South America with NAMM NeXT Latin America, taking place in São Paulo, Brazil, in November 2026. Additional details about the 2027 NAMM NeXT event calendar, including programs in the U.S., will be announced during The 2027 NAMM Show. {namm.org}
10–11 at the Renaissance Amsterdam Hotel in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The event gathered senior executives and industry lead- ers representing Europe’s MI, pro-audio, live event, retail, education and distribution sectors. Building on the success of last year’s inaugural Brussels summit, NAMM NeXT Europe 2026 expanded its role as a forum for high-level industry dialogue, bringing together leaders for two days of market intelligence, strategic discussions and col- laborative working sessions focused on the future of the industry. “The continued growth and engagement around NAMM NeXT Europe reflects the importance of creating spaces where industry leaders can collaborate on the opportunities and challenges shaping our global business environment,” said John Mlynczak, president and CEO of NAMM. “The conversations in Amsterdam reinforced a shared commit- ment to innovation and expanding the global community of music makers.” NAMM NeXT Europe 2026 drew par- ticipation from leading global and European companies across manufacturing, distribu- tion, retail and live event production, in- cluding C.F. Martin Guitar, Henri Selmer Paris, Buffet Crampon, GEWA Music, Roland Europe, Taylor Guitars Europe, Thomann, Gear4music, Adam Hall Group, Audiotonix, Focusrite Group, QSC, Solid State Logic, Musik Meyer, Algam and Hal Leonard Eu- rope, among others. “Many have tried to bring Europe’s music
14 I MUSIC INC. I AUGUST 2026
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