Producer will receive the lifetime achievement award at the inaugural International Showbiz Expo.

Producer Edward R. Pressman will receive the Independent Producer Lifetime Achievement Award at the first edition of the International Showbiz Expo (ISBE), to be held in Abu Dhabi from Oct 20-22.

Organised by event management company MCI and Singapore-based Xeitgeist Entertainment Group, the event is focused on the growing markets of Asia, India and the Middle East. It plans to cover all aspects of the entertainment business from film, TV and exhibition to theatre and digital media.

The organisers said ISBE had been deliberately timed to take place before the Abu Dhabi Film Festival, which this year takes place Oct 23-Nov 1. It expects to draw around 2,000 industry professionals and young creatives with the dual aims of encouraging both learning and business.

The event will take place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Company (ADNEC). Confirmed partners include Middle East distributors and exhibitors such as Gulf Film, NOVO Cinemas, Empire International, REEL Cinemas and VOX Cinemas.