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UFI – The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry promotes, represents and serves the interests of the world’ s leading show organisers, fairground owners and operators, major national and inter national associations of the exhibition industry and industry partners. As a non-political and non-profit organisation, UFI’ s main goal is to serve the exhibition industry worldwide and to emphasise its unique marketing characteristics for the development of world trade.
Present on six continents, in 84 countries, UFI is a unique and neutral forum for dialogue dedicated to all professionals involved in the trade fair business. Serving the exhibition industry since 1925, UFI applies its professional experience and renown to providing its members and the industry with the extensive know-how required to meet the challenges of ever-changing needs. Being a member of UFI is a proof of quality and international recognition. Over 4,500 tradefairs and exhibitions are organised by its members. More than 900 of these are international exhibitions, approved by UFI, based upon strict and exacting quality criteria, assuring excellent services for the benefit of exhibitors and visitors.
UFI President: Panittha Buri UFI Managing Director / CEO: Chris Skeith, OBE UFI Head of Marcomms: Pierre Aurelien Vidon
17 rue Louise Michel 92300 Levallois-Perret, France Tel: + 33( 0) 1 4639 7500 Fax: + 33( 0) 1 4639 7501 Email: info @ ufi. org Website: www. ufi. org
UFI Asia / Pacific Regional Office: Suite 4114, Hong Kong Plaza 188 Connaught Road West Hong Kong, S. A. R Tel:( 852) 2525 6129 Email: asia @ ufi. org
UFI Middle East / Africa UFI MEA Office Info Salons Middle East Office Sheikh Zayed Rd City Tower 2, Office 2001A PO Box 58580 Dubai, United Arab Emirates Tel: + 971( 0) 4 331 7180 E-mail: mea @ ufi. org
UFI Latin America Corferias Cra 37 # 24-67 Auditorium Second Floor Bogota, Colombia Tel: + 571 3445486 E-mail: anamaria @ ufi. org
The opinions and views expressed in Exhibition World do not necessarily reflect UFI policy or position.
In this issue:
NEWS & OPINION
5 Editor’ s Note 6-7 Global Snapshot 9 UFI Column:
CEO Chris Skeith
50 Recruitment:‘ We’ re in the platform business,’ explains tfconnect’ s Miranda Martin
FEATURES
13 The danger of over-reliance on AI when sourcing a stand supplier: FFAIR CEO asks whether AI is quietly undermining official event supplier partnerships
15 How to turn £ 700k into $ 1.77bn in 14 easy steps: Co-founder of CloserStill Media, Philip Soar offers a how-to on flipping an exhibition company for over a billion dollars
26 Stateside with Stephanie: RX making engagement easy
28 Focus on Germany: Insights from AUMA and key messe players into the challenges and trends
32 Revved up beyond exhibitions: India-headquartered R. E. Rogers on racing in the fast lane of delivering for high-profile motorsport events
INSIGHTS & INTERVIEWS
Far left, top: Phil Soar on the CloserStill story, p15
Left: A look at global logistics trends and challenges, p28
Far left, bottom: Venue safety first with jwc insights, p34
Left: A look back at IMEX Frankfurt in photos, p49
19 Reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated: SISO CEO Vinnie Polito shares some thoughts of recent big deals and the resurgent spring market
23 Polishing up a peformance asset: Jon Benjamin, CEO, ASP highlights the hidden performance gap in most event websites and explains how to close it
31 Growth in breadth, but not in depth?: Hugh Jones, RX CEO, shares a view across global exhibitions and reads the runes behind SASIE 2025
45 Ten years at the helm – A chairman’ s farewell: Stuart Bailey, outgoing chairman, Hong Kong Exhibition & Convention Industry Association, shares some thoughts on his 10 year journey
www. exhibitionworld. co. uk Issue 3 2026 3