Digital Excellence (2026) -Thursday 7th May 2026

Daniel Bailey is Director of Digital Development and Membership Operations at ECA, the UK’s leading trade association for the electrotechnical services industry, and we are delighted to welcome him as Chair of the Digital Strategy, Data & Growth Stream at Digital Excellence 2026. He works across both ECA’s Membership and staff team to drive the development of cutting-edge digital initiatives. With has over 20 years of professional digital and marketing experience, Daniel has held senior positions in a range of both commercial and not for profit organisations.

1. Please can you tell us a bit about ECA and your role there?

ECA is the UK’s leading trade association for electrotechnical and building engineering services contractors. In plain English we exist to help our 2,000+ company Members build strong businesses and a resilient industry.

My role sits at the intersection of digital, IT, data and membership operations. I’m responsible for how we use technology, insight and platforms to improve member value, drive growth, and make sure digital is a core capability that actually delivers results!

2. Why did you decide to step into a chair role for Digital Excellence 2026?

I’ve been involved with the Memberwise network for many years as I find it a genuine and useful community of likeminded professionals, with whom to share ideas and experiences.

The Digital Excellence conference has always been strong on practical case studies rather than theory, and this year’s focus on strategy, data and growth reflects exactly what I think associations are grappling with right now. Chairing the stream felt like a great opportunity to help shape honest, useful discussions, not just about what’s possible, but what’s realistic with limited time, budget and people.

3. What do you see as the key challenges for associations with digital/engagement over the next year or so?

Most associations now have “digital initiatives”, new systems, dashboards, AI pilots and engagement tools, but few can clearly show how those things drive growth, retention or relevance. Data quality, integration and skills remain stubborn blockers, and AI adds a huge layer of both opportunity and noise.

I think we are all struggling with how to be more disciplined by doing fewer ‘things’, in the face of more ‘things’ to do! We need to get better at this make sure digital decisions are rooted in member value, not shiny tech. Honestly, it’s a huge challenge just to keep up with developments and stay on top of your stack, let alone meaningfully measure the impact.

4. What are you looking forward to at Digital Excellence 2026?

For me, the best part of Digital Excellence is hearing real life case studies from other associations. I’m particularly looking forward to the sessions where organisations talk openly about what didn’t go smoothly, not just the polished end result. The best learning comes from understanding trade‑offs, constraints and lessons learned, especially from my peers who are facing similar challenges.

5. Why do you feel it’s important for association and membership professionals to attend Digital Excellence 2026?

Digital now underpins everything associations do, growth, engagement, service, and efficiency. And that makes Digital Excellence extremely valuable because it brings together people who are actually doing the work, sharing real experiences. You leave with ideas you can use on Monday morning, not just a notebook full of buzzwords (well maybe a few buzzwords, but that’s OK!).  Attending is a huge chance to learn, challenge thinking, and bring practical insight back home.