Paris – 3 November 2020: UFI is very pleased to announce the results of the elections for the new UFI Board of Directors for the 2020 – 2023 mandate.

Elections to the UFI Board take place every three years. During this process, the members elect a truly global body with representatives from UFI chapters around the world. The Board of Directors is tasked with implementing decisions taken by the General Assembly, developing UFI policy, and preparing all proposals related to matters affecting international trade fairs. After thorough preparation, these proposals are submitted for vote to UFI members at the annual General Assembly. The Board of Directors is comprised of a maximum of 60 members.

The new mandates will commence after the UFI General Assembly that will take place on 10th November 2020 and the newly elected Board members include:

• Saif Mohamed Al Midfa – Expo Centre Sharjah (UAE)
• Ahmed Al Obaidli – Qatar National Tourism Council (Qatar)• Said Salim Al Shanfari – Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre (Oman)
• Xabier Basañez – Bilbao Exhibition Centre – BEC (Spain)
• Carina Bauer (Ms.) – IMEX Group (UK)
• Sergey Bednov – EXPOCENTRE AO (Russian Federation)
• David Boon – BRUSSELS EXPO (npo) (Belgium)
• Gerald Böse – Koelnmesse GmbH (Germany)
• Sébastien Brunet – GL events (France)
• Panittha Buri (Ms.) – BITEC (Thailand)
• Benjamin (Kai Leung) Chau – Hong Kong Trade Development Council (Hong Kong)
• Diane Chen (Ms.) – Shenyang New World EXPO (China)
• Lisa Aixin Chen (Ms.) – DonghaoLansheng (Group) Co., Ltd. (China)
• Geoff Dickinson – dmg events (UAE)
• Klaus Dittrich – Messe MünchenGmbH (Germany)
• Severine Dubarry Bardon (Ms.) – Comexposium (France)
• Michael Duck – Informa Markets – Asia (Hong Kong)
• Roland Fleck – NürnbergMesseGmbH (Germany)
• Lisa Hannant – Clarion Events Ltd. (UK)
• Hugh Jones – Reed Exhibitions (UK)
• Carin Kindbom (Ms.) – SvenskaMässan Stiftelse (Sweden)
• Taro Komiya – Japan Management Association (Japan)
• Ned Krause – E.J. Krause & Associates, Inc. (USA)
• Michael Kruppe – SNIEC (China)
• Mary Larkin (Ms.) – Diversified Communications USA
• Wolfgang Marzin – Messe Frankfurt GmbH (Germany)
• Lau Wai Meng (Benson Lau) -Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (Macau)
• Trixie LohMirmand – Dubai World
• MCH Group AG (Switzerland)
• Maria João Rocha de Matos (Ms.) – Lisboa Feiras Congressos e Eventos (Portugal)
• Constanti Serrallonga – Fira de Barcelona (Spain)
• Mark Shashoua – Hyve Group Plc (UK)
• Xueli (Shirly) Song (Ms.) – Chongqing International Expo Center Co., Ltd (China)
• Georgy Surkov – RESTEC Exhibition Company (Russian Federation)
• Saleem Khan Tanoli – FAKT Exhibitions (Private) Limited (Pakistan)
• Dina Tomšić (Ms.) – Zagreb Fair Ltd (Croatia)
• Sergey Voronkov – ExpoForumInternational LTD (Russian Federation)
• Simon Wang – TAITRA (Taipei)
• Erhard Wienkamp – MesseDüsseldorf GmbH (Germany)

Previously elected to the UFI Board as the Chairs of the Regional Chapters are:
• For Asia-Pacific: David Zhong(VNU Exhibitions Asia, China)
• For Europe: Andreas Gruchow(Deutsche Messe AG, Germany)
• For Latin America: José Navarro Meneses (Tarsus Mexico)
• For Middle East/Africa: Albert Aoun (IFP, Lebanon)

And elected to the Board as the Chair and Vice-Chair of the UFI Associations Committee:
• Chair: Chris Skeith, AEO (UK)
• Vice-Chair: Jörn Holtmeier, AUMA (Germany)

And already elected in their roles as the UFI Presidential Trio are:
• Anbu Varathan, IMTMA and BIEC, Bangalore (President 2020 – 2021)
• Monica Lee-Müller, HKCEC, Hong Kong, Incoming President
• Mary Larkin, Diversified Communications USA, Outgoing President

“I wish to congratulate all elected and re-elected board members. This year, we have seen a record number of industry leaders standing for these elections. It stresses the role UFI is playing in supporting and representing the exhibition industry globally”, says Mary Larkin, UFI President and President Diversified Communications USA. “I am also very pleased to see more diversity at UFI Board level: 28% of the UFI Board is now made up of women. Just seven women were part of the UFI Board in 2017 so we have more than doubled the female representation. I am very happy that I was able to move the needle there during my year as UFI President”.