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gardens that we brought there , and I have planted a few trees at venues around the world , and all together we planted an UFI Pocket Garden in Poznan in 2022 .
Poznan was also where – through a network of Eastern European venue members – we had trucks pulling up while we were there , delivering support goods as the venue and indeed the country dealt with the wave of refugees from Ukraine after Russian troops invaded . A powerful example of how we can help connect and support .
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What other projects are you particularly proud of curating at UFI ? My favourite project every year has been the ‘ Next Generation Leaders Grant ’, although it is incredibly tough to pick just five recipients . These groups have produced great input for our industry ( for instance , the new talent staffing narrative after the pandemic ), and it is great to see how many alumni are holding ever-more senior positions in our industry .
But if I may list one other project , it is one from my time as the president of JMIC , resulting from the pandemic . In all the advocacy work , we regularly shot ourselves in the foot as we had no common ‘ story ’ or narrative that explained who we are as the events industry and why we mattered . We ‘ fixed this ’ – and wrote the first-ever joint event industry narrative – a manifesto that describes 15 dimensions in which events support economies and societies . We were always complaining that no one ‘ gets us ’, but then we
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ourselves had not been able to clearly say what we are .
What other memorable achievements are you proud of during your time at the helm of UFI ? Having His Holiness Pope Francis addressing the industry at our Global CEO Summit in Rome in 2020 will surely stay in the memory of everyone who was with us in the Vatican on that day . As will the 2021 Dubai Regional Conference – the first one we could hold again after Covid .
And , personally , one of my highlights at every UFI event has been and is the UFI Running Club – getting up early and experiencing an UFI event destination in a very special way with nice industry colleagues .
You are quite a traveller in our cause . Any favourite destinations ? There are too many to mention , so I will pass . As for legacies though : There is an olive tree in the Vatican
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Left : Kai Hattendorf |
How do you see UFI ’ s standing as you prepare to leave and what would be the ‘ in-tray ’ priorities to be tackled by your successor ? That is for others to say . I ’ d offer that UFI will go into its centennial year with the largest number of member companies from more countries and markets than ever before , with a solid strategy in place for 2025 , and with an amazing global leadership .
UFI can go through that jubilee year and beyond with a refreshed look and feel .
And as for the in-tray – Chris Skeith knows UFI well , he has served in the UFI leadership for six years . The best thing I can leave are my best wishes for him and the UFI team for the next chapter .
What new challenges are you now looking forward to ? I am eager to stay around and curious about my next role . I am open to talks and ideas , and I have some ideas of my own – so let ’ s see what will work out best .
Thank you for all you have done for this great industry in your leading role at UFI and very best wishes for the future , Kai ! EW
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