Press service

Effective November 1, 2025, Manuel Pinke will assume the role of Managing Director at HIGH END SOCIETY Service GmbH, the organizer of the world’s largest audio trade show, HIGH END. After nine years at the helm, Stefan Dreischärf is handing over the responsibility to his long-standing colleague, who will take over the strategic and operational leadership of the company.

Since 2016, Stefan Dreischärf has guided the direction of HIGH END SOCIETY Service GmbH with visionary enthusiasm. As a recognized expert within the global audio industry, he continuously advanced the development of the HIGH END trade fair and introduced numerous new initiatives. Among his many achievements was the 2017 introduction of well-known musicians as brand ambassadors, giving the exhibition a recognizable public face. “It has been a great pleasure to shape the company and the HIGH END over many years and to strengthen its international significance,” says the experienced trade show executive. He adds that now is the right time for a planned leadership transition, strategically aligned with the upcoming relocation of the exhibition from Munich to Vienna next year: “I am confident that Manuel Pinke is the right person to professionally oversee this process and continue the success story of our shows.” Manuel Pinke has been part of the HIGH END SOCIETY Service GmbH team since 2020, supporting the organization and execution of all company events as Senior Event Manager.

With over 30 years of experience and a strong network across the audio industry, he brings extensive expertise to his new role. Over the course of his career, Manuel Pinke has gained insights into the retail sector as both intern and partner, completed a university degree, and worked for many years in international sales. He has known the HIGH END trade fair from every perspective – as a passionate hi-fi enthusiast, professional visitor, exhibitor, and most recently, as part of the organizing team. “I am very much looking forward to shaping the future of the HIGH END as the new Managing Director and to further developing our exhibitions as key meeting places for the global audio community, together with the entire team,” says Manuel Pinke. Stefan Dreischärf will remain with the company as Senior Event Manager.

The shareholder HIGH END SOCIETY e.V. is pleased to have initiated a generational change with this decision and congratulates the future Managing Director Manuel Pinke on his new role. The association expresses its sincere appreciation for the outstanding achievements accomplished under Stefan Dreischärf’s leadership and wishes him all the best in his continued work with the company. This personnel change comes at a time when the HIGH END stands at an important milestone in its development. After 21 successful years in Munich, the HIGH END SOCIETY is opening a promising new chapter in the 43-year history of the trade show, as it moves to the Austria Center Vienna in 2026.

About HIGH END SOCIETY

HIGH END SOCIETY Service GmbH is a separate subsidiary of the HIGH END SOCIETY Association for High Quality Audio and Video Reproduction. The company manages all of the association's commercial projects. In addition to organizing the leading international audio trade fair HIGH END, HIGH END SOCIETY also hosts the FINEST AUDIO SHOW, IPS, and WORLD OF HEADPHONES exhibitions.