What is your background, and how did you get into the industry?
When I was studying business management in Munich, I was so fascinated by a talk given by the head of the Messe München trade fair company that I started out there as a trainee after I had completed my studies. That was in 1989. I’ve been captivated by the trade fair business ever since. After holding various positions at IGEDO in Düsseldorf and Karlsruher Messe-und Kongress, I joined Koelnmesse in 2008. Even after 25 years in the trade fair sector, I’m still enthusiastic about the vibrancy and the international character of this business – today just as much as I was back then.
Can you tell me a little about Koelnmesse? What are your main events, how is the business performing/growing?
Koelnmesse is the number one trade fair venue for approximately 25 sectors. The company stages the leading global trade fair for each of these sectors. Among the best-known of these trade fairs are Anuga in the food sector; the international furniture fair IMM Cologne; the computer and video game trade fair Gamescom and Photokina, the leading global trade fair for the photo and imaging sector.
Every year, Koelnmesse organises and supports more than 80 trade fairs, exhibitions, guest events and special events in Cologne and in the most important markets all over the world. Our exhibition space of 284,000sqm is the fifth-largest in the world. Koelnmesse is developing very positively in economic terms. In 2013 our turnover of 280.6m and 16.7m in profit set all-time records for our company. After a slight loss in 2014 due to the regular trade fair cycles, we expect to post a new record result in 2015.
Can you explain what we can expect from ‘Koelnmesse 3.0’?
The name Koelnmesse 3.0 stands for a master plan of measures through which we are investing in the future of our exhibition grounds in the coming 15 years. Our aim is to offer the world’s most attractive city-centre trade fair complex over the long-term and to still be among the top 10 in the global trade fair sector in 2030. The measures include renovation and maintenance work in the southern section of the exhibition grounds, the construction of a new hall, the construction of a central entrance terminal and the improvement of the traffic and parking situation.
While large-scale global events are where the bulk of Koelnmesse’s business is being made, in which other business divisions are you looking to expand?
The services we offer to exhibitors and visitors to support their participation in our events are becoming increasingly important. Thanks to these services, the companies can concentrate fully on their real business at the trade fair. Because exhibitors’ and visitors’ available time is steadily diminishing, many trade fair participants are happy to take advantage of our services. But there is still more potential in this area, and in the future we would like to exploit it more effectively – for example, through digital services and services that bring together exhibitors and visitors outside the trade fair periods as well.
The segment of congresses and special events is also becoming increasingly important. This theme will become even more significant for us in the coming years through the new hall I’ve already described.
Are there plans to form further global partnerships this year? Why you have opted to partner in Colombia as opposed to other Latin American countries?
By joining up with Corferias in Colombia, Koelnmesse has gained a strong partner for a promising collaboration in the Andes region. The goal of the partnership we are forming is to participate in the Alimentec trade fair for food and catering equipment, which is the most important event of its kind in the region. Through this move we are continuing to implement our internationalisation strategy and expanding our portfolio in the areas of food and food technology worldwide in a targeted manner. However, our choice of Colombia does not mean we’ve chosen not to cooperate with other Latin American countries. For example, Brazil is also an important future market for us. We are already organising two events there, International FoodTec Brasil and UrbanTec Brasil. To further expand our business in Brazil, we established a subsidiary there at the end of 2014.
In your new role at UFI’s European chapter, are there any particular topics or campaigns you wish to focus on this year?
The European chapter of the UFI, which has over 300 members, is the largest single interest group within the organisation. What’s more, Europe is the world’s strongest trade fair market. That puts the European trade fair sector under an obligation to set an example and act as a pioneer.
We share information and learn from one another in order to provide the highest level of professionalism and quality at our trade fairs. We want to set the global standards for services and quality of stay, as well as for development themes such as the digitization of the trade fair business. In the year ahead the central focus will be destination marketing and the presentation of concepts and campaigns to strengthen the trade fair locations in Europe.
Furthermore, we have to do intense lobbying work with regard to the EU decision-makers, promote the interests of the trade fair sector, identify potential areas of cooperation and emphasise the trade fair sector’s important role in creating and safeguarding growth, employment and innovation in Europe.
What other associations or groups are you involved with — and why?
Since 2008 I’ve been a member of the board of directors of the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry (AUMA), which represents the interests of exhibitors, organisers and visitors of trade fairs in Germany. As the chairman of the European chapter of UFI, I’m also a member of the board of directors and the executive committee of UFI. This involvement thus benefits the entire trade fair sector in Germany. Since 2009 I have held a seat in the General Assembly of the Cologne Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
This is the top committee of the organisation and, in effect, the parliament of Cologne’s economy.
We are closely involved with Cologne as a business location, and our communication with other Cologne companies is very important. In addition, this means that Koelnmesse is participating in important decisions that affect Cologne’s economy. Furthermore, I am a member of the executive body of the German-Swiss Chamber of Commerce, which is also the representative office of Koelnmesse in Switzerland. Because Switzerland is a neighbouring country that sends us many exhibitors and visitors.
What do you do to relax when you’re not at work?
I like to spend my leisure time playing golf, and I also love to travel by car and motorcycle.
This article was first published in issue 1/4 2015 of EW. Any comments? Email Rebecca Shahoud
