The UFI European Conference 2019 will be hosted by the NEC in Birmingham, UK.
The conference will take place 15-17 May, it was announced following a meeting between Kathryn James, MD Conventions and Exhibitions at the NEC Group and UFI president Corrado Peraboni, at this year’s European Conference in Verona.
As the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, UFI organises annual industry conferences in Europe and around the world, as well as the UFI Global Congress.
The UFI European Conference takes place in May each year and bring together more than 200 industry professionals from all over Europe and beyond.
It has previously been hosted in Verona (2018), Cologne (2017), Basel (2016), and Istanbul (2015).
“The UK is home to many organisers with international portfolios, and also offers great venues. As a long-standing UFI member, the NEC is going to be a wonderful host for the occasion,” said Peraboni.
James commented: “The UK’s position in the global events industry and its evolving role in the European political and economic landscape have made the mutual desire to bring Europe’s largest meeting of international event industry professionals to our shores even stronger. It’s brilliant to now confirm that the NEC Birmingham will be hosting the UFI European Conference 2019. There’s no doubt that the high-tech venue facilities at our new VOX conference centre, our personalised service and unrivalled international connectivity helped us lock down the deal. This is a great opportunity and reinforces our role, at the heart of the UK events industry, as one of Europe’s busiest exhibition centres.”
The National Exhibition Centre (NEC) is where brands are born, products are launched and networks are made. The campus welcomes six million visitors, over 34,000 exhibiting companies and 500 events every year. Over the last 40 years, the NEC has established itself as the UK’s No.1 venue to visitors, event organisers and exhibitors.
The NEC boasts unrivalled connectivity by road, rail and air and a variety of flexible spaces, including 34 conference suites.
UFI’s board of directors, meanwhile, has elected Mary Larkin as its next president for 2020.
The decision was made at the board meeting in Verona.
The UFI presidential trio for the 2018/19 term will, therefore comprise of:
- Craig Newman (Johannesburg Expo Centre, South Africa) president 2018/19
- Mary Larkin, (Diversified Communications, Portland, USA) incoming president
- Corrado Peraboni (Fiera Milano, Italy) outgoing president.
This decision becomes effective at the conclusion of the 85th UFI Global Congress, which runs from 31 October to 3 November 2018 in St Petersburg.
