Thanks to the Invisible Giant
t ’ s the season to go
I give thanks in many countries around the world . Be it on Omani National Day here in Muscat , where I am writing this column . Be it Thanksgiving in the US , or the Mid-Autumn Festival in China , or the German “ Erntedankfeste ”. So , let ’ s use this column for some personal thanks !
I want to give thanks today to the people who gave their ideas and thoughts so graciously at this year ’ s UFI Global Congress in Oman . Thank you to Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoi for showing us the power that a story has that is told well and powerful . She helped us to understand how we can make the unseen visible , and she shared how she achieves that in her work , drawing a standing ovation from our global Congress community on site .
We often say we are an “ invisible giant ” of an industry , that we struggle to be recognised , that it is difficult for talent to actually find out about the opportunities in our sector . Listening to Sharmeen , I am more convinced than ever that we ‘ just ’ need to make sure we show who we are and that we need to tell our story .
So let ’ s give thanks to Monika Baro , Jo Kowalsky , Justine Rebel , Daniella Galante , Maria Victoria Piñeres and
Kai Hattendorf UFI managing director / CEO
Jon Yahirun – our Next Generation Leaders of the year . You took the stage , and you owned it . You gave us the result of eight months of work – a new narrative , a new story , that we can tell when we talk to talent out in the world , and the reasons why they should choose exhibitions and events as their career . We are , you say , the ‘ Community Building Industry ’. There is so much in your work that will benefit the us all . As UFI , and based on many conversations we had alongside the Congress , we will drive this forward .
Let ’ s give thanks to so many other speakers who shared , like Sandy Angus , chairing our Exhibition
Below : UFI ’ s new presidential trio . L-R : Monica Lee-Müller , Michael Duck and Geoffrey Dickinson
Industry Board Meeting session . A big and heartful thank you to Said Al Shanfari and his whole team at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre – a perfect team and a most gracious host , opening their doors to our global community and showcasing Oman at its very best .
A special thanks to our leaders at UFI – especially Monica Lee-Müller , who guided us through the year from Hong Kong , before being able to travel again in the final months of her presidency . To Anbu Varathan , who served selflessly in the leadership for so long , and to Mary Larkin . Last not least , thank you and welcome to Michael Duck , as he takes up the UFI presidency .
Thank you to everyone in the UFI team around the world – in Paris and Hong Kong , Dubai and Bogota , Brussels and New York , Buenos Aires , London , and elsewhere . A team as global and diverse as our industry , and a powerful group of people working for our industry .
Thank you to our families – this industry takes commitments , and time , and far too often it keeps us away from the people we love for too long .
Let ’ s be grateful for the community we are , for the industry we are , for the stories we write , and for the future we build for everyone we work for and with .
www . exhibitionworld . co . uk Issue 6 2022 9