HIGH END SOCIETY Service GmbH is seeing a change in management for the second time in a year. On October 1, 2026, 31-year-old Ali Ibrahim will take over as head of the trade show organizer from Manuel Pinke. According to the association, Pinke is stepping down at his own request for personal reasons.
Ali Ibrahim Succeeds Manuel Pinke
The leadership change comes just two days after it was announced. With this move, the HIGH END SOCIETY is once again opting for an internal solution: Ali Ibrahim has been with the company since 2016 and is familiar with the organization of international and regional audio trade shows from various perspectives.
His career at HIGH END SOCIETY Service GmbH began with an apprenticeship as an office management assistant specializing in event management. Most recently, Ibrahim served as Marketing and Event Manager, responsible for marketing and advertising planning as well as for organizing and executing events. According to the company, he was also in charge of the marketing budget for HIGH END and other trade shows for several years. In addition, he has experience in journalism and public relations, as well as business management expertise.
“For me, this is more than just a new role,” Ali Ibrahim says of his appointment. He is taking on responsibility for a company and a team with which he has been associated for many years. Building on this foundation, he intends to shape the coming years with a clear focus on exhibitors, visitors, and the entire industry.
Manuel Pinke Brought HIGH END to Vienna
Manuel Pinke’s tenure at the helm was unusually short. He had only taken over the management from Stefan Dreischärf on November 1, 2025. In the eleven months that followed, Pinke primarily oversaw the highly anticipated move of the most important international audio trade show from Munich to Vienna.
The premiere at the Austria Center Vienna was a success. Around 500 exhibitors showcased approximately 1,000 brands, and the event drew a total of more than 23,100 visitors and media representatives from 104 countries. Our detailed trade show report on HIGH END Vienna 2026 also drew a largely positive conclusion: The Austria Center offered more space, better acoustic conditions, and a more pleasant distribution of visitors than the former MOC in Munich.
Jürgen Timm, Chairman of the Board of HIGH END SOCIETY e.V., praises Pinke’s dedication and highlights the relocation in particular. Pinke has “accomplished a great deal in a short time” and, with the successful relocation of HIGH END to Vienna, has sent a strong signal for the future. The association expressly respects his decision, which was made for personal reasons.
The announcement does not indicate whether Manuel Pinke will remain with the organization in a different capacity.
The first trade show under new leadership is just around the corner
Ali Ibrahim doesn’t have much time to settle in. The FINEST AUDIO SHOW Darmstadt, the first major event since he took office, is already scheduled for October 17 and 18, 2026. More than 60 exhibitors plan to showcase over 150 brands there. STEREO GUIDE has compiled the most important information about the FINEST AUDIO SHOW Darmstadt 2026. The trade show at the Darmstadtium is jointly organized by the HIGH END SOCIETY and LowBeats.
The next HIGH END Vienna will take place from May 6 to 9, 2027, at the Austria Center Vienna. In addition to this leading international trade show, HIGH END SOCIETY Service GmbH organizes other events such as the FINEST AUDIO SHOW, the IPS supplier trade show, and the WORLD OF HEADPHONES.
Ali Ibrahim, a relatively young event manager who has been with the company for ten years, is now taking the helm. Following this rapid change in leadership, the association is thus placing its primary emphasis on continuity from within its own ranks.
