UFI delivers a virtual resilient reality of quality content
87 th Global Congress rallies industry for record annual get-together online . Paul Colston reports
he association of the global exhibition industry , UFI , carried off what its MD and CEO Kai Hattendorf termed its ‘ Plan D ’ congress incarnation , and , given the complexities of these fast-changing Covid times , the 87th UFI Global Congress delivered royally on its constant content promise albeit in digital-only format this year .
The Congress , held in mid- November , proved an important global rallying point for the industry with record numbers of delegates signing up to network and take part in a wide range of sessions streamed this year to take full account of key global time zones .
UFI ’ s regional managers-turned TV presenters curated the key content from their geographical studio bases and each of the four regions presented in their own prime time by daily turn .
UFI president Mary Larkin welcomed all delegates and Dr Florence Eid-Oakden , CEO and chief economist of Arabia research and strategy , opened up the general content with a keynote on the global and economic outlook .
The digital networking sessions , while not always perfect in technical execution , gave delegates a fresh perspective and medium of chatting and reacting both formally and informally to the content and an opportunity to share their own experiences . A potential negative was thus turned into a special positive for a unique Congress this year . Perhaps all the opportunities forfeedback , questions and chat options made for the debate being even more democratic than before .
As Kai Hattendorf noted , there is no perfect online-only formula , but UFI has built up good experience with its UFI Connects series of over 35 sessions in recent months . He said the association had embraced a situation that was both “ exciting and frightening ” and , like colleagues who delivered the recent ICCA and AIPC annual congresses , UFI had taken from best practice .
The content programme had plenty of deep research and analysis , UFI ’ s calling card . Enrico Gallorini , CEO at GRS Research and Strategy , shared his team ’ s recent work on future trends and pointed out that technology and engagement were the elephants in the room to be addressed in terms of negotiating the challenges now presented . The ‘ whale ’ in the room , joining the ‘ elephants ’, according to Gallorini , was now the monetising of digital events .
The situation could be viewed as a chance to refresh , Gallorini said . “ There will be fewer companies involved in future and less money available for the industry to work with ,” he added , and painted a vision of the future of events : “ It will not be the strongest nor most intelligent that will survive , but the most adaptable to change .”
Gallorini added that the model of exhibitors on one side and visitors on another would change and he saw a fresh vision of the events business platform with no more duality of ‘ exhibitors and visitors ’ but rather a co-collaboration where there would be no single touch point . The new algorithm , he said , would see the role of the exhibition change to be one of providing the architectural resources for a new ecosystem .
“ Our industry has to think not just as business enabler now but as a market oracle ,” he noted .
Other sessions brought strong views and illuminating insights from top industry leaders , and Carina Bauer - CEO at IMEX Group , Hugh Jones - CEO at Reed Exhibitions , Charlie McCurdy - president & CEO at Informa Markets and Simon Kimble - chairman at Clarion Events , shared their thoughts in one memorable session about what our events may look like in future .
The result of the digital Congress , was the dynamic exhibition community coming together again to learn from each other and reinvigorate our professional approaches and , not least , to see each other and network .
UFI members can also benefit from diving back into sessions and continue their learnings as Congress materials remain available and accessible via the website . With so many streams and a myriad of content , make the most of your opportunity and review the highlights and find that idea or nugget of information that can transform your business and help you chart a ‘ resilient ’ route forward in these challenging times .
On questions of trust and resilience
With the overarching theme of the UFI Global Congress being Trust and Resilience , it was appropriate to have a diplomatic heavyweight in the form of Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger to fire up the UFI delegates on Day 3 , with some penetrating insights into geopolitics . Of course , a key factor of the UFI offer is the way it uses its clout to bring in expert voices
24 Issue 6 2020 www . exhibitionworld . co . uk