The Board of Directors of UFI, the global association of the exhibition industry, has elected Panittha Buri, vice-chairperson of Bhiraj Buri Group, as UFI president for the 2025-26 period. Buri will join the UFI Presidential Trio as incoming president next November, and become UFI president at the 92nd UFI Global Congress in November 2025 in Hong Kong.
The UFI Presidential Trio for the November 2024 – November 2025 term will, therefore, be:
- Hugh Jones (CEO, RX), president
- Panittha Buri (vice-chairperson, Bhiraj Buri Group), incoming president
- Geoff Dickinson (CEO, dmg events), outgoing president
This decision will become effective at the conclusion of the 91st UFI Global Congress, which will take place 20-23 November 2024 in Cologne, Germany.
Buri has served as the vice-chairperson of Bhiraj Buri Group since October 2022. Previously, she held various roles at the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre (BITEC), such as MD and director of marketing & sales. Since 2023, Buri has taken on several prominent roles: chair of the UFI Asia Pacific Chapter, president of the Thai Exhibition Association (TEA), and Board member of the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB). She is also a Board member of both UFI and AIPC.
Geoff Dickinson, UFI’s current president, said: “I am incredibly happy that Panittha Buri will take on the presidency of UFI in 2026. She has served the events industry passionately and committed for many years in various roles. As a Board member of UFI for many years, as the Chapter chair for Asia Pacific, and as president of the Thai Exhibition Association, she brings a high level of experience and excellent relationships with her industry peers, and as vice-chair of the Bhiraj Buri Group, she has extensive leadership experience. She is also a very kind and caring person who will, in particular, progress the core values of UFI.”
Panittha Buri added: “Thank you for entrusting me with this leadership role at UFI. I am truly honoured and humbled. I am excited about the journey ahead and am grateful for the opportunity to serve alongside each of you. Let’s embark on this journey with passion, integrity and a shared vision for the next generations to come. Together, we can achieve great things.”
True to the association’s global presence, UFI’s recent presidents have been from the UK (Michael Duck, 2022-23, Hong Kong (Monica Lee-Müller, 2021-22), India (Anbu Varathan, 2020-21), the USA (Mary Larkin, 2019-20), South Africa (Craig Newman, 2018-19), and Italy (Corrado Peraboni, 2017-18).
Photo: UFI's Presidential Trio, L-R: Panittha Buri, Hugh Jones and Geoff Dickinson
