CHICAGO — Event professionals work tirelessly across the globe, from Canada to Chile.
No matter where you are, though, UFI – The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry has your back. The association has advocated for events worldwide for almost a century and plans to continue its efforts for another one and more.
UFI recently unveiled a new logo and updated branding to mark the beginning of its centennial and announced that Chris Skeith, OBE, will become its next CEO in 2025.
Trade Show Executive (TSE) spoke with Kai Hattendorf, UFI’s current CEO, about its rich history and bright future, and how young professionals can get involved.
ANDREW: What should new event professionals know about UFI?
KAI: We are the global association for the expo industry, the global community of industry leaders and professionals.
When you want to connect with people in your home country — do it through your national industry association [such as the International Association of Exhibitions & Events]. When you want to make international industry connections — do it through UFI.
ANDREW: How was UFI founded and what was its original mission?
KAI: UFI was founded by 20 organizers/venues from across Europe in 1925.
The primary objective of UFI was to develop cooperation among European international trade fairs in order to revitalize international commerce after World War I. In 1937, UFI represented 33 member organizations.
ANDREW: How has UFI changed through the decades?
KAI: Post World War II, UFI moved from Milan to Paris. Membership grew, reaching 100 businesses in 40 countries by 1975.
By the end of the Cold War in 1990, UFI had 153 members: 110 in Europe, 21 in Asia, nine in Africa, seven in South America, five in North America and one in Australia. UFI had succeeded in bringing together trade fair organizations from all five continents and could truly claim to be a global organization.
An Asia-Pacific Chapter was set up in the 1990s with a regional office in Hong Kong.
In 2003, UFI rebranded into the name used today: “UFI – The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry.” Since then, more regional chapters have been established, each served through a regional office: Middle-East/Africa (with an office in Dubai), Central & South America (with an office in Colombia) and North America (with an office in the U.S.) — so today UFI operates presences on five continents.
ANDREW: How does UFI help the exhibition industry?
KAI: UFI directly represents around 50,000 exhibition industry employees globally and also works closely with its 72 national and regional association members.
With Events, Research, Education and Advocacy [the association’s four pillars], UFI works to support all players in our industry around the world — always in collaboration with national expo industry associations.
UFI’s work evolves with the changing needs of the industry — when the industry needed more and better global data, we delivered the necessary research projects like the UFI Barometer. Where the industry needs education, we deliver the necessary programs. Where we need to drive the dialogue with politicians and stakeholders, we evolve and expand our advocacy work.
For instance, we launched a program in Saudi Arabia with the Informa-Saudi Joint Venture to have a new entry-level program to teach people the basics [of exhibitions] … and we will scale this through the largest organizers who will probably take all their new staff through these three-or-five-day initiation courses.
Key is that UFI’s actions are aligned through a global network of industry leaders volunteering on UFI’s Board of Directors.
ANDREW: How will UFI’s recent rebranding help the association?
KAI: Our brand supports and strengthens UFI and UFI’s work. A brand and its appearance are always an expression of an institution’s identity, beliefs, values and priorities — that’s the soul of a brand.
A brand also anchors an organization. It carries the legacy and the experience, and it broadcasts an identity and a value set — the brain of a brand, if you like.
Finally, a brand must also simply work — at an event or online, haptically or digitally — that’s the craftsmanship a brand showcases.
ANDREW: How has UFI benefited your career?
KAI: I first got involved when I won an UFI Award with my previous employer, Messe Frankfurt, for a marketing project. That allowed me to attend my first UFI Congress and to grow my network internationally. I had no idea back then that, a few years later, I would be asked to lead the organization.
In these past ten years at UFI, the biggest benefit has clearly been the opportunity to work with many of the best and brightest leaders of our industry from all around the world, and to learn from each and every one of them.
ANDREW: How can a young events professional get involved with UFI?
KAI: Three simple things: Follow UFI on LinkedIn. Check if your company is an UFI member — and if so, see how you can be active in an UFI chapter, or a working group, or join an online UFI community. And — have an eye out for our programs like the Next Generation Leadership Grant and how they can supercharge your own journey in this amazing industry.
ANDREW: What advice would you give to a young events professional who wants to become more involved?
KAI: Connect to industry associations … and you will always find people who are happy to take you under their wings, introduce you to the community and answer questions.
It’s super easy to reach out and to connect if you can bear with the fact that we hang out at the platforms that we use and that we know how to use — they all won’t be on Twitter, Instagram or TikTok. You’ll find them mainly on LinkedIn and sometimes on Facebook.
Don’t hesitate to introduce yourself and say “Hi, I’m new to this industry, I see that you’re working in this association and I have a few questions. Would you mind giving me 10-15 minutes of your time?” Ninety-five out of 100 people will happily do that.
Also, invest your time and your resources to go to an industry event. Find out if your company is a member in one of these organizations. If they are, ask them to send you. If not, ask them why they are not.
The pandemic taught us that digital is a great way to stay connected, but it is also like your iPhone battery — it drains. You need to recharge and recharging in a relationship is when you meet face-to-face.
To learn more about UFI, click here.
