Messe Munchen appoints new IMEA head
Messe München has appointed Bhupinder Singh to head its newly consolidated India, Middle East and Africa (IMEA) region, marking a strategic shift in its global operations.
He has led the company’s India business since 2016 and will spearhead the expansion into Middle Eastern markets as part of the reorganization. Scroll down to read the full story.
Here are the top headlines for your weekly event news updates:
- Messe Munchen appoints new IMEA head to strengthen regional footprint
- Hyve partners with Abu Dhabi Investment Office to launch luxury retail event
- Easyfairs annual revenue jumps 21% to €229.3 million
- Women in Exhibitions UK Chapter names new president
Messe Munchen appoints new IMEA head to strengthen regional footprint
Messe München has appointed Bhupinder Singh as president of its IMEA region, effective January 1 2025.
Bhupinder, who has served as CEO of Messe München India since 2016, will lead company efforts to broaden its footprints into Middle Eastern markets while maintaining his leadership of operations in India and Africa.
He will also join the Board of Directors of MMI Asia Singapore, which manages the company’s activities across China, India, Africa and the Middle East.
CEOs Stefan Rummel and Reinhard Pfeiffer said in a joint statement: “Bhupinder Singh is characterized by his strategic vision, his in-depth understanding of the dynamics of the trade fair industry and his exceptional leadership.
“He has already led our Indian subsidiary to extraordinary success and will now also establish our trade fairs in the Middle East.”
Bhupinder said: “Leading the IMEA region is an opportunity to shape the future of trade fairs in some of the world’s most dynamic markets.
“By fostering innovation and building platforms for meaningful partnerships, we aim to drive transformative growth across India, Africa, and the Middle East.”
Under his leadership, Messe München India grew from seven to more than 20 events and increased sales revenue by nearly 300%.
The subsidiary became the second largest international operation within the Messe München Group.
Hyve partners with Abu Dhabi Investment Office to launch luxury retail event
Hyve Group has partnered with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) to launch Shoptalk Luxe – the first luxury-focused edition in the global Shoptalk series.
The three-day event will be held in January 2026 at Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi and will feature more than 180 speakers from luxury retail, premium customer experience and retail technology sectors.
Hyve Group CEO Mark Shashoua said: “Abu Dhabi is the leading destination for global luxury retail in the Middle East and it was therefore a clear destination for the expansion of Shoptalk.
“Our partnership with ADIO will enable us to maximise the launch to create a truly unmissable event.”
Noura Alfoulathi, head of Abu Dhabi Retail, ADIO, said: “The retail sector is a key pillar of a resilient, diverse economy, both locally and globally.
“As consumer habits and expectations continue to evolve, this sector is witnessing a profound transformation in business models, product offerings, and consumer experiences, requiring retailers to adapt and innovate.
“By hosting this important event, Abu Dhabi stands at the forefront of these developments, poised to lead the dialogue among global industry leaders, innovators, and luxury brands.”
Chalhoub Group, a Middle East luxury retail company, has joined as Launch Partner.
Shoptalk Luxe aims to attract over 2,500 attendees from the $1.5 trillion global luxury market.
The event expands Hyve’s Shoptalk portfolio, which currently includes events in Las Vegas, Barcelona and Chicago.
The partnership reflects Abu Dhabi’s growing role in global luxury retail with ADIO working with retailers and technology firms to develop the emirate’s retail infrastructure.
Easyfairs annual revenue jumps 21% to €229.3 million
Easyfairs increased its annual revenue to €229.3m in fiscal year 2023-24, up 21% from €189.8m in the previous year.
The exhibition organizer reported recurring EBITDA of €52.3m, a 47% increase from €35.5m in the prior year. The company’s EBITDA margin improved to 22.8% from 18.7%.
The growth in revenue coincided with improvements in cost management across operations.
Easyfairs’ Chief Financial Officer Marc Hellemans said: “Our previous financial year 2022-23 showed significant growth largely thanks to the post-Covid rebound.
“So it is especially gratifying that our figures for 2023-24 are even better.
“Revenues are up, thanks mainly to strong organic growth, by 22.9%, which has been characterised by significant growth in the volume of events – close to 9%.
“We also launched 15 new shows, contributing 4.5% to our total sales. In addition two acquisitions in the financial year, Coiltech and Southern Manufacturing, contributed almost 5% to total sales.”
Easyfairs’ group CEO Anne Lafère added: “With the recently announced new investment from Cobepa and Inflexion, prospects for growth are greater than ever.
“The investment will fund both organic growth through new events and product launches and what we call geo-cloning – transplanting proven event concepts in new cities and regions – as well as sizeable acquisitions.”
Women in Exhibitions UK Chapter names new president
Women in Exhibitions UK Chapter has appointed Excel London’s head of B2B exhibition sales Caroline Gourlay as its new president.
Caroline will spearhead the chapter’s membership expansion efforts and target venues and suppliers across the UK.
She said: “It is a great honour to step into the role of President of the Women in Exhibition’s UK Chapter given the strength and breadth of female talent across our industry.
“With the backing of the brilliant and highly engaged board, I hope to continue extending the reach of this network across the UK and welcome new companies into membership.”
She plans to develop partnerships with industry events and organizations to promote gender diversity in leadership positions.
The Women in Exhibitions network connects professionals in the exhibition and events industry. The UK Chapter operates as part of the global Women in Exhibitions organization.
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