UFI
Going local
Chris Skeith OBE, CEO and managing director UFI, focuses on the association’ s regional and AI strategies
Chris Skeith
EW: With the UFI MEA regional conference approaching at the end of April, do these regional agendas vary much? CS: UFI’ s regional conferences are driven by and for the regions. Our regional directors and Chapter chairs are at the beating heart of each region and, therefore, play a crucial role in ensuring that we’ re driving the right content at the right time.
Unlike our Global Congress or Global CEO Summit, which draw on inputs from the UFI Trio, Executive Committee, and senior leadership, regional conferences are deeply rooted in local needs and demands. We move the regional conferences around, enabling members to experience new places and opportunities.
Common themes do emerge, such as AI, which had a session at our Asia-Pacific Conference this year and is planned to have one in Cairo as well for our MEA Conference. These commonalities reflect broader industry trends as well as insights from our advocacy, research, and working groups.
We also have continuous feedback loops from all UFI events to help ensure we are providing the most topical and engaging programme and innovative formats across all events.
The Middle East region seems to be quite a dynamo for trade show development? The Middle East – or the wider MENA region, I can say – is rapidly becoming a major force in the global exhibition industry, with an increasing number of trade shows and events being launched across the region.
This growth is driven by strategic investments in infrastructure, a young, dynamic population, and a strong desire to diversify economies. Among the key players in this transformation is Saudi Arabia, which is taking bold steps under its Vision 2030 initiative to position itself as a global business hub. The country’ s ambitious plans include world-class exhibition centres, significant investments in tourism, and a focus on enhancing international partnerships.
Other equally interesting markets that offer growth opportunities in the exhibition industry are, of course, UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Egypt. I am confident the region ' s momentum will continue to reshape the exhibition landscape in the years to come.
AI is not just taking on mundane tasks but moving at pace into all kinds of areas and, therefore, all the more important we pay attention to the latest tools and services, right? Absolutely – AI is evolving far beyond automating routine tasks, and its impact on our industry is accelerating. We’ ve seen this first-hand at UFI’ s events globally.
At the Global CEO Summit in Milan, Priya Lakhani OBE( Century Tech) explored AI’ s role in forecasting, enhancing customer experiences, and driving operational efficiencies. Meanwhile, at the UFI Asia-Pacific Conference in Melbourne, Stephan Forseilles( Easyfairs) highlighted AI’ s broader applications – from sales and marketing to budgeting and strategic planning.
Our most recent UFI Global Exhibition Barometer report confirms this shift: 92 % of respondents consider that AI will affect the industry, with‘ Sales, Marketing & Customer Relations’( 54 %) and‘ Research & Development’( 49 %) currently seeing the most use. Respondents also stated that they expect these areas, along with‘ Event Production’,‘ Human Resources’,‘ Finance and Risk Management’, and‘ Other Support Functions’, to become increasingly affected by AI in the future.
AI is no longer just about efficiency – it’ s a game-changer for how we operate and innovate. We must stay ahead of these advancements, ensuring we use AI to enhance business strategies, improve customer engagement, and drive long-term growth. EW
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