Graphics

Jeff Hannah & Francisco Collazo

Three Generations in Mexico with Francisco Collazo (Part 2)

Posted on by Jeff Hannah | In Age, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Culture, Design, Dusseldorf, Ecuador, Europe, Germany, Graphics, Language, Latin America, Leadership, Loose Time, Mexico, North America, Podcast, Puerto Rico, Relationships, Time, United States

A Look into the Life of Industrial Designer Francisco Collazo

This is Part 2 of a two-part interview with international industry leader and designer Francisco Collazo, Partner and CEO of SISTEXPO (Sistemas de Exposición) in Mexico City, Mexico.

In this fascinating conversation, Francisco Collazo shares his extensive journey into the exhibition industry, tracing the evolution of his career from its inception as a young boy working with his father. More than 40 years later, Francisco’s company is now well into its third family generation and has established an outstanding reputation for themselves globally in the industry.

Host Jeff Hannah asks Francisco to share the transformative shifts he has witnessed in the Mexican exhibition landscape over the years, offering valuable insights into the dynamic nature of the industry in Mexico. Nowadays, most of the exhibits are custom-built, wooden exhibits versus system exhibits; many are still build and burn (one time use).

Francisco highlighted his knowledge of system exhibits, shedding light on the diverse range, some of the history, and how he became an expert in this area. He mentions his past interactions with historical system influencers, such as Hans Bruder (global leader of OCTANORM for over 50 years). Some of the systems they discussed are beMatrix, Aluvision, Agam, OCTANORM, SYMA, and meroform,

They discuss the primary exhibition venues in Mexico, and how those have evolved over the years in their respective areas:

Palacio de los Deportes

World Trade Center Mexico City

Centro Citibanamex

Expo Guadalajara

Jeff and Francisco share their common bond of their pathways to becoming an industrial designer. Francisco shares how he is particularly passionate about giving back to future generations of designers and design programs at various universities. Francisco’s heavy involvement in international and local industry associations underscored his commitment to fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing with others across the industry.

Francisco’s international work experience is a key focal point, illustrating the intricacies and nuances of navigating business across borders – particularly in Latin America.

Francisco opens-up about the unique experience of collaborating with family members in the industry, providing a glimpse into the dynamics of working alongside loved ones. He shares his outlook on navigating some of those challenges – and well as the reward of working with his family in the formation of this third-generation business. They specifically mention the work that his son Paco Collazo is doing with Happy Projects, based in Atlanta.

Jeff asks Francisco about his legacy, where he emphasizes continuous innovation, building connections, and providing the highest level of service possible (beyond what is happening on the trade show floor).

Host Jeff Hannah summarizes this interview by stating, “good stuff to build a business on; good stuff to build a life around.”

SISTEXPO are international exhibit and event builders, headquartered in Mexico City, Mexico. They are uniquely positioned to work across North America and South America, with a reach far beyond – into Europe and elsewhere around the world. SISTEXPO designs and builds exhibits for trade shows, works as a general contractor for entire exhibitions, provides international pavilions, and produces full-scale events. Well into their third family generation, SISTEXPO has a strong track record of over 40 years and continues to be heavily involved in international associations and works with many global brands. They are proud members of IFES, EDPA, ESSA, bePartner Network, MPI, OSPI, and AMPROFEC.

This interview was recorded live at the amazing Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa, in Bonita Springs, Florida (USA) with host Jeff Hannah.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/francisco-collazo-ortega-23601639/

Website: https://www.sistexpo.com/

Jeff Hannah & Francisco Collazo

Three Generations in Mexico with Francisco Collazo (Part 1)

Posted on by Jeff Hannah | In Age, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Culture, Design, Ecuador, Europe, Germany, Graphics, Language, Latin America, Leadership, Loose Time, Mexico, North America, Puerto Rico, Relationships, United States

A Look into the Life of Industrial Designer Francisco Collazo

This is Part 1 of a two-part interview with international industry leader and designer Francisco Collazo, Partner and CEO of SISTEXPO (Sistemas de Exposición) in Mexico City, Mexico.

In this fascinating conversation, Francisco Collazo shares his extensive journey into the exhibition industry, tracing the evolution of his career from its inception as a young boy working with his father. More than 40 years later, Francisco’s company is now well into its third family generation and has established an outstanding reputation for themselves globally in the industry.

Host Jeff Hannah asks Francisco to share the transformative shifts he has witnessed in the Mexican exhibition landscape over the years, offering valuable insights into the dynamic nature of the industry in Mexico. Nowadays, most of the exhibits are custom-built, wooden exhibits versus system exhibits; many are still build and burn (one time use).

Francisco highlighted his knowledge of system exhibits, shedding light on the diverse range, some of the history, and how he became an expert in this area. He mentions his past interactions with historical system influencers, such as Hans Bruder (global leader of OCTANORM for over 50 years). Some of the systems they discussed are beMatrix, Aluvision, Agam, OCTANORM, SYMA, and meroform,

They discuss the primary exhibition venues in Mexico, and how those have evolved over the years in their respective areas:

Palacio de los Deportes

World Trade Center Mexico City

Centro Citibanamex

Expo Guadalajara

Jeff and Francisco share their common bond of their pathways to becoming an industrial designer. Francisco shares how he is particularly passionate about giving back to future generations of designers and design programs at various universities. Francisco’s heavy involvement in international and local industry associations underscored his commitment to fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing with others across the industry.

Francisco’s international work experience is a key focal point, illustrating the intricacies and nuances of navigating business across borders – particularly in Latin America.

Francisco opens-up about the unique experience of collaborating with family members in the industry, providing a glimpse into the dynamics of working alongside loved ones. He shares his outlook on navigating some of those challenges – and well as the reward of working with his family in the formation of this third-generation business. They specifically mention the work that his son Paco Collazo is doing with Happy Projects, based in Atlanta.

Jeff asks Francisco about his legacy, where he emphasizes continuous innovation, building connections, and providing the highest level of service possible (beyond what is happening on the trade show floor).

Host Jeff Hannah summarizes this interview by stating, “good stuff to build a business on; good stuff to build a life around.”

SISTEXPO are international exhibit and event builders, headquartered in Mexico City, Mexico. They are uniquely positioned to work across North America and South America, with a reach far beyond – into Europe and elsewhere around the world. SISTEXPO designs and builds exhibits for trade shows, works as a general contractor for entire exhibitions, provides international pavilions, and produces full-scale events. Well into their third family generation, SISTEXPO has a strong track record of over 40 years and continues to be heavily involved in international associations and works with many global brands. They are proud members of IFES, EDPA, ESSA, bePartner Network, MPI, OSPI, and AMPROFEC.

This interview was recorded live at the amazing Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa, in Bonita Springs, Florida (USA) with host Jeff Hannah.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/francisco-collazo-ortega-23601639/

Website: https://www.sistexpo.com/

Jeff Hannah & Benedict Soh

Perspectives from an Industry Legend: Benedict Soh

Posted on by Jeff Hannah | In Age, Asia, Branding, China, Communications, Culture, Design, Europe, Graphics, Hong Kong, Japan, Language, Marketing, Middle East, North America, Podcast, Relationships, Singapore, Strategy, Taiwan, Thailand, Time, United States

Interview with Benedict Soh – Chairman of Kingsmen Creatives

This is an interview with an industry legend, Benedict Soh, Chairman and Co-Founder of Kingsmen Creatives Ltd., based in Singapore. In this episode, host Jeff Hannah and Benedict Soh discuss the return of the industry since the COVID-19 pandemic brought the exhibition industry to a complete halt over two years ago. Shows and events are recovering well, with a number of large corporations hosting their own private customer events and product launches. Ben talks about the importance of face-to-face marketing, and the need as an industry to demonstrate excellent ROI for the client stakeholders.

Ben talks about how the trade show industry has evolved over the years, and has excelled at integrating all of the other aspects of technology and marketing. He also talks about how business has changed due to the blending of cultures globally.

Jeff asks Ben about the challenges of running a large corporation with offices in many countries. Jeff asks Ben to give advice to people considering a career in this industry. He talks about mentors, sources of inspiration, and about how he got started in this industry. He also talks about the concepts of work/life balance and work/life integration. And, he talks about what he feels is his greatest achievement.

Benedict Soh is internationally known across the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) industry and amusement park industry segments. Benedict has been awarded the prestigious Hazel Hayes Award, as well as the Lifetime Achievement for Outstanding Contribution to Tourism by the Singapore Tourism Board. Benedict co-founded Kingsmen Creatives over 45 years ago, and is also Chairman. Kingsmen has now grown to 21 offices across major cities in Asia, the Middle East, and the USA, with global headquarters in Singapore.

Kingsmen are creators of experience, harnessing the power of creativity and design to tell engaging stories that bring brands to life. Kingsmen delivers seamless, innovative and engaging experiences that connect, engage and empower. From conception to completion, their integrated capabilities built over the last 45 years have enabled them to be the one-stop creative solutions partner, delivering memorable, successful campaigns around the world.

This interview was recorded live in Singapore at the Kingsmen Experience, the global headquarter tower of Kingsmen Creatives Ltd., in the Changi District of Singapore, with host Jeff Hannah.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benedict-soh-819b614/

Website: https://www.kingsmen-int.com/

Exhibit at EuroShop

Tradeshow Engagement Optimization with Lee Ali (Part 1)

Posted on by Jeff Hannah | In Abu Dhabi, Argentina, Asia, Best Practices, Brazil, China, Communications, Culture, Dubai, Europe, Germany, Graphics, Hong Kong, Language, Latin America, London, Manchester, Marketing, Middle East, Non-Verbal Communications, North America, Podcast, Relationships, Strategy, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Verbal Communications, Yorkshire

Tradeshow Engagement Optimization with Lee Ali (Part 1)

In this episode, host Jeff Hannah interviews Lee Ali of Expo Stars Interactive, based in Manchester, England. In this episode, Jeff asks Lee about several unique aspects of his work and business model. This is part one of a two-part series with Lee.

Lee discusses his Remote Exhibiting Model, which is a new development born in the midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic, when companies were prevented from traveling due to restrictions of one kind or another. This Model allows companies to still participate in trade shows in a very real, legitimate, and effective way, even when their own staff members cannot attend IRL.

Lee also discusses his outlook regarding the attendee experience model in the post-COVID world. How have expectations of engagements and interactions changed during the past couple of years? And how do they continue to change? Due to show attendance still down from the previous era, exhibitors are spending similar (if not more) dollars but getting access to fewer attendees. So, what can and should exhibitors do to address that in the most effective way possible?

Lee shares insights on cultural differences and their relative importance in the exhibition world and on the show floor. And he talks in depth about a new phrase which he recently coined, “Tradeshow Engagement Optimization” – also known as TEO.

Lee Ali is an international speaker, entrepreneur, business coach, mentor, sales strategist and a qualified iMA practitioner. He is widely regarded as the go-to source for attendee engagement and lead generation at global tradeshow exhibitions, conferences and live marketing events.

Lee’s passion from very early on in his business career has been understanding what makes people buy and how to truly connect with them so that they are deeply engaged with what you do.

As well as contributing his valuable insights to industry press and media, Lee has been invited to speak at various conferences across the world on audience engagement including; UFI Asia Pacific Conference in Malaysia, Middle East Event Show in Dubai, Sales and Marketing Expo in LA, The Business Show in London, Expo Expo! in Las Vegas, EXHIBITORLIVE in Las Vegas, Event Tech Live in London and more. Lee also hosts the “In Conversation with Expo Stars” podcast interviewing experts from the tradeshow industry.

Lee founded Expo Stars Interactive, an award winning exhibition engagement company, to support exhibitors worldwide to engage more attendees to their booth, convert them into qualified sales leads, raise their brand awareness, and deliver measurable results.

Since 2007, the Expo Stars team have been supporting exhibitors at all the major global exhibitions including Arab Health, Mobile World Congress, CES, GITEX, BAUMA, HPE Discover, Cisco Live, Black Hat, Microsoft Convergence, CONEXPO-CON/AGG and many more.

Lee is also passionate about health and well-being. He is a qualified Reiki practitioner and incorporates the power of positive energy into his unique 5 E’s framework for personal, business, sales and marketing success.

This interview was recorded online from both Manchester, England (UK) and Dayton, Ohio (USA) with host Jeff Hannah.

Part 2 of the Interview with Lee.

Email: lee@expostars.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leeali5/

Website: https://www.expostars.com/

Lee Ali, MD of Expo Stars Interactive

Lee Ali
Jeff Hannah with Martin Besaris

The Best Industry in the World

Posted on by Jeff Hannah | In Asia, Best Practices, Communications, Culture, Design, Europe, Germany, Graphics, Language, Marketing, Middle East, North America, Podcast, Precise Time, Relationships, Strategy, Time, United States, Verbal Communications

Martin Besaris Describes the Best Industry in the World

In this episode, host Jeff Hannah interviews Martin Besaris (Martijn Besaris) of The Inside Standbouw, based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Martin describes the exhibition industry as the “best industry in the world” – and describes the amazing degree of fulfilment and excitement that it creates for him personally and professionally.

Jeff talks with Martin about how the Dutch have been dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, and the never-ending stream of variants. They discuss it from an industry perspective, including how the government of The Netherlands worked with companies (early in the pandemic) to put together plans for dealing with employee reductions, finances, and business survival. Martin talks about the current outlook regarding recovery and return of the exhibition industry. He also discusses the return of international travel, and the administrative challenges with that.

Jeff and Martin take a deeper look into the Dutch mindset and culture regarding personal behavior, freedoms, and lack of written rules. People in the society are generally free to “do as they please” in terms of beliefs and behaviors. The Dutch tend to have a strong outlook on business, with a high degree of focus on international. Education is important and expected. It is typical to start learning English and German in preschool. Martin also talks about similarities and differences the Dutch have with other European countries as well as the USA.

Recent societal and business shifts in The Netherlands has led to more people working with their “heads” instead of their “hands.” This (along with the pandemic) has created a shortage of carpenters and other skilled craftspeople, especially for the exhibition industry. Martin urges industry associations, companies, and individuals to make a more concerted effort to expose youth to this unique industry so that they can consider it as a career option. He discusses how this industry is fun, beautiful and exciting – and offers a very broad range of exposure to other industries.

Martin talks about the various languages that he speaks, as well as how he found his way into the exhibition industry, with the help of The Inside founder, Michael Hermans. Martin discusses his current role, which primarily focuses on international sales.

Jeff asks Martin for his insights into trends and developments that he is seeing in the industry across Europe – and recommendations on how companies should adjust their approach. They discuss the value of good exhibit design and the importance of differentiation and the need to quickly capture attention on the show floor. Martin believes that companies need to more carefully consider the geographic location of where a show is located, and the targeted attendees. Too often companies create graphics in their own native language, which is okay for some situations. But in others, it’s not the best approach (i.e. Germany). Either way, companies generally use too much written text (copy) for their graphics, which nearly always gets overlooked. QR codes are growing in popularity, especially during COVID.

The Inside Standbouw (Stand Builder) has been in business for more than 25 years, and provides turn-key services for exhibitions, interiors, and events in The Netherlands, across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and in many other locations. Michael Hermans is the founder, and owner / CEO. The Inside is well known for their award-winning design capabilities and their thoughtful, strategic, comprehensive approach to projects.

This interview was recorded during EDPA ACCESS 2021 at the The Diplomat Beach Resort Hollywood Curio Collection in Hollywood, Florida with host Jeff Hannah.

Email: Martin@the-inside.nl

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martijnbesaris/

Website: https://www.theinside-standbuilding.com/

Exhibit at EuroShop 2020

Engagement Strategies with Designer Scott Wojda

Posted on by Jeff Hannah | In Best Practices, Branding, Communications, Culture, Design, Dusseldorf, Europe, Germany, Graphics, Language, Lighting, Marketing, Middle East, New Zealand, Non-Verbal Communications, North America, Podcast, Relationships, Strategy, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States

Czech Republic Designer Scott Wojda Discusses His Unique Approach to Engagements

Host Jeff Hannah interviews Scott Wojda, President of Global Creative Group based in the Czech Republic. Jeff interviewed Scott during EuroShop 2020 in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Jeff has a very interesting conversation with Scott about his agency’s approach to storytelling, strategy, creating engagements, and the overall design of exhibitry. Scott has a deep understanding of how to capture peoples’ interest, and a unique approach to translating that into outstanding environments.

Growing-up in California, Scott is bilingual and of Czech heritage. He earned a degree in Industrial Design at the highly acclaimed Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. He now lives with his family in the Czech Republic, where his company, Global Creative Group is headquartered.

Global Creative Group is a digital event agency with locations in Southern California and in the Czech Republic. Global Creative Group works with brands from around the world to design outstanding exhibits which attract, engage, and tell meaningful stories.

This interview was recorded during EuroShop 2020 at the Messe Düsseldorf in Düsseldorf, Germany at the Exhibitor Magazine booth on the show floor.

This trade show (EuroShop) was one of the last major trade shows to be held before the COVID-19 Pandemic caused shows globally to be cancelled. EuroShop is the world’s largest trade fair for the retail industry, trade shows and associated sectors. There are over 90,000 attendees at the show, with more than 2,000 exhibitors from 56 countries.

Global Creative Group

Email: scott@globalcreative.eu

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottwojda

Jeff Hannah with Scott Wojda at EuroShop

Jeff Hannah & Scott Wojda
Double decker exhibit at EuroShop

Insights into Argentina – Architect Marcela Medrano

Posted on by Jeff Hannah | In Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Culture, Design, Ecuador, Europe, Gender, Germany, Graphics, Language, Latin America, Loose Time, North America, Podcast, Relationships, Time, United States

Insights into Argentina with Architect Marcela Medrano

In this episode, host Jeff Hannah interviews Marcela Medrano, President of Dodecaedro Group, based in Buenos Aires. Jeff interviewed Marcela during EuroShop 2020 in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Jeff talks with Marcela about the unique distinctions of the trade show (trade fair) industry in Argentina. They discuss the typical approach to exhibit fabrication, which is mostly custom fabrication versus modular systems. They also get into some details about printed graphics – and the fact that silicon edged graphics (SEG) are not readily produced in Argentina.

Marcela also discusses the economic realities and challenges of working in Argentina and Latin America. In the past several years, prior to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the trade show industry was hard-hit in Argentina, due to multiple years of hyper-inflation and currency devaluation. Client budgets cannot keep pace with the growth of inflation, making it harder for brands to participate in trade shows and events. With most materials being imported, along with skyrocketing labor costs, the industry has suffered greatly.

Marcela reviews several of the major convention centers in Buenos Aires, such as La Rural, Tecnópolis, The Buenos Aires Convention Centre (CEC), and the various types of international shows that are typically held in Buenos Aires.

Jeff also asks Marcela to explain more about the cultural perspectives in Argentina, as well as the ethnic landscape, and what has been happening recently in terms of immigration.

Dodecaedro Group is a global alliance between Dodecaedro (Argentina), Dodecaedro (Brazil), and Dylunio (Spain). Marcela is from Mendoza, Argentina, and holds a degree in architecture from the Universidad de Mendoza. She is currently based at their HQ office in Buenos Aires.

With more than 20 years of experience and developed projects in more than 40 countries, Dodecaedro Group has a proven track-record in design and stand construction globally. Dodecaedro Group is member of the International Federation of Exhibition and Event Services (IFES), the Experiential Designers and Producers Association (EDPA), the Argentine Association of Organizers and Suppliers of Exhibitions, Congresses, Events and Convention Bureaus (AOCA), and Buenos Aires Convention and Visitors Bureau.

This trade show (EuroShop) was one of the last major trade shows to be held before the COVID-19 Pandemic caused shows globally to be cancelled. EuroShop is the world’s largest trade fair for the retail industry, trade shows and associated sectors. There are over 90,000 attendees at the show, with more than 2,000 exhibitors from 56 countries.

This interview was recorded at the Messe Düsseldorf in Düsseldorf, Germany at the Exhibitor Magazine booth on the show floor.

Email: mmedrano@dodecaedrogroup.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcela-medrano-9a003328/

Joey DiFranco & Jeff Hannah Rethinking Events

Rethinking Events with Joey DiFranco & Jeff Hannah

Posted on by Jeff Hannah | In Best Practices, Branding, Communications, Covid-19, Design, Graphics, Language, Leadership, Marketing, Non-Verbal Communications, North America, Podcast, Relationships, Strategy, United States, Verbal Communications, Videos

Joey DiFranco & Jeff Hannah – Thought Leadership in Virtual Events

In this episode, we are re-airing a panel interview with Jeff Hannah and Joey DiFranco from the main stage at Rethinking Events, a recent virtual event which explores how virtual events are exploding and developing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Joey is a media futurist and expert in experiential technology. Joey is also the Director of the NEXT Lab at Exhibit Concepts – “New Experiential Technologies” – which is focused on all things technology-related, such as virtual events, augmented reality, virtual reality, audio-visual, and much more. Jeff Hannah is the Vice President of Interiors, International, and Creative at Exhibit Concepts, and has oversight of the NEXT Lab. Both of these industry thought leaders are interviewed by Masten Worley, Director of Sales at Exhibit Concepts.

This is a dynamic conversation which explores the role of virtual events in the overall marketing mix, what kinds of mistakes companies often make when implementing online events. They talk about the challenges and difficulties of creating and managing virtual events. And, they discuss what the future may look like in terms of the mix between virtual and in-real-life (IRL) events.

This interview was recorded in Dayton, Ohio.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joey-difranco-creative/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreyhannah/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mastenworley/

Jeff Hannah Speaks at EuroShop 2020

Posted on by Jeff Hannah | In Age, Authority, Best Practices, Branding, Communications, Culture, Dusseldorf, Europe, Gender, Germany, Graphics, Language, Latin America, Leadership, Loose Time, Marketing, Middle East, Non-Verbal Communications, North America, Podcast, Precise Time, Relationships, Strategy, Time, United Kingdom, United States

Jeff Hannah Speaks at EuroShop 2020

In this episode, host Jeff Hannah speaks at EuroShop 2020 in Düsseldorf, Germany as part of the IFES Expo & Event Stage. Jeff’s lecture was titled Cultural Frameworks – which highlights the need for focusing on the dimensions of national culture. Jeff states that cultural differences are one of the most ignored aspects of international trade show programs.

Neglecting subtle nuances in cross-cultural business can be devastating, as unrealized components of culture can damage business relationships and nullify marketing efforts. Recognizing that all business is conducted within the “context of culture” helps one to see things from a totally different perspective. This session provides a brief overview of the various dimensions of culture which should considered when exhibiting in other countries, such as:

IFES is the International Federation of Exhibition and Event Services, headquartered in Europe. Jeff’s lecture was hosted by IFES as part of their series called, The Art of Exhibition, an important aspect of the educational program provided at EuroShop.

EuroShop is the world’s largest trade fair for the retail industry, trade shows and associated sectors. There are over 90,000 attendees at the show, with more than 2,000 exhibitors from 56 countries. It is the source of information and inspiration for professionals and decision-makers on every conceivable aspect of retailing. It is the showcase for trends and innovations. A hot spot for sales and marketing experts seeking new ideas to spotlight and sell their company’s products and services even better.

This interview was recorded at the Messe Düsseldorf in Düsseldorf, Germany – and moderated by the infamous Han Leenhouts from The Netherlands.

Jeff Hannah on LinkedIn

Email: jeff@globalexhibitor.com

Jeff & Uta on Eco Tour in Sonoran Desert

IFES Executive Director – Uta Goretzky

Posted on by Jeff Hannah | In Abu Dhabi, Argentina, Best Practices, Brazil, Chile, Communications, Culture, Design, Dubai, Dusseldorf, Europe, Germany, Graphics, Language, Latin America, Leadership, Marketing, Mexico, Middle East, Munich, North America, Podcast, Relationships, Strategy, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States

Jeff Hannah Interviews Uta Goretzky – Executive Director of IFES

In this episode, host Jeff Hannah interviews Uta Goretzky, the Executive Director of the International Federation of Exhibition and Event Services, headquartered in Europe. Uta has a vast knowledge of what is happening in the trade show and event industry on a global basis. She works diligently to ensure that the industry is well-represented globally within various government contexts, as well as from an economic standpoint. They also provide a platform for global collaboration between companies across the exhibition industry.

Uta discusses trends that she is observing, initiatives that IFES is pursuing currently, the significance of cultural concerns, as well as best practices for exhibitors. Uta is based in Frankfurt, Germany, but spends much of her life on the road in many places around the world.

Prior to joining IFES, Uta spent more than 20 years with FAMAB e.V., the German association for the exhibitions and events industry. Uta studied economics at the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster in Germany.

This interview was recorded in the Sonoran Desert of Tucson, Arizona in the USA.

Uta Goretzky on LinkedIn

Email: uta@ifesnet.org