PARIS — UFI recently announced that its board of directors has named Monica Lee-Müller as its new president for the 2021-2022 term. Lee-Müller will assume this role after UFI’s 87th Global Congress, which will be held on November 15-20.
With this appointment, Lee-Müller will be part of UFI’s 2021-2022 Presidential Trio, which also includes incumbent President Anbu Varathan of the Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers’ Association and Outgoing President Mary Larkin of Diversified Communications in Portland, Ore. This group will be responsible for managing UFI at the highest level to ensure that the needs of members are met.
“I am thrilled to have been elected as the 2022 UFI President. This year has been a challenge to everyone who is part of the industry, but we have also witnessed how a strong industry association can help turn the tide. The world needs our industry more than ever — this unique platform for building business, and hence, rebuilding economies,” said Lee-Müller. “The UFI members have placed their trust in me, and I will not disappoint them. From the end of 2020, I look forward to being part of the UFI Presidential Trio, to be strong again today, stronger tomorrow, but always, strongest together.”
Related. UFI Barometer: Despite Devastating Losses, Industry Confident in Return of F2F
Lee-Müller is the Managing Director of Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
(Management) Limited (HML) — the company responsible for managing and operating the 306,000 square-meter Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) — where she has worked since 1994. In this role, which she had stepped into in 2012, Lee-Müller oversees the work of the company’s senior executives as they plan and implement business development and service initiatives, as well as secure and serve the needs of 1,000 prestigious conventions and exhibitions annually. In addition, she steered the HK$1 billion HKCEC Five Year Advancement Project, which is funding facility and technology upgrades.
An active member of UFI for several years, Lee-Müller has been part of the board for over a decade. During her tenure at UFI, she has been involved in diversity and sustainability projects that have helped further the association’s mission of connecting, supporting and promoting the exhibitions industry on a global scale. According to Larkin, Lee-Müller’s association experience makes her a natural presidential choice during these tumultuous times in the industry.
“Monica has been part of UFI for many years now. Being part of an association means different things to different people. Monica has been a very strong supporter of UFI: In addition to being a board member, she has spoken at UFI events on numerous occasions and is a lecturer on the UFI education program, the UFI-VMA Venue Management School (VMS),” said Larkin. “In the words of Publilus Syrus, ‘Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm’. It is in times of crisis we see where the clear leaders are. I sincerely hope that when Monica takes over her presidency, the COVID-19 pandemic will be long behind us. But Monica has shown great leadership skills managing her team in Hong Kong, and strong leadership will be important as our resilient exhibition industry continues to rebuild itself over the next two years, firstly with Anbu Varathan at the helm, and then with Monica.”
Related. UFI Global Congress 2020 to be “Glocalised” and Showcase Industry Resilience.
Since 1925, UFI has represented exhibitions industry professionals around the globe. This international non-profit, non-partisan organization has 50,000 members that work on exhibitions and events in about 90 countries. UFI is headquartered in Paris and has four regional offices located in China, Germany, Lebanon and Mexico.
Reach Mary Larkin at (207) 842-5542 or mlarkin@divcom.com.
