On the second day of its 91st Global Congress in Cologne, global association of the exhibition industry, UFI announced the revival of its legacy Medal of Appreciation (renamed ‘Medal of Honour’).
The new scheme will award up to three individuals annually for their services to the global exhibition industry at large and the UFI community in particular. Recipients will be decided by the UFI president in consultation with the respective members of the UFI trio.
UFI president Geoff Dickinson said: “For any association to reach a milestone like 100 years is a testament to the tireless work of key individuals over many, many years. Every association can only be as good as its members, and UFI’s uniquely strong position in the event industry results from outstanding individuals putting their hearts and minds into it. By reinstating a UFI Medal of Honour, we now have the opportunity to thank these individuals with a small gesture.”
In this inaugural year, UFI leadership selected:
Sandy Angus (pictured), UFI president 2001 – 2003
Mary Larkin, UFI president 2020 – 2021
Kai Hattendorf, UFI CEO since 2015.
Commenting on the three selected recipients, Geoff Dickinson shares:
“Sandy Angus has been active in UFI for over 50 years, and his positive impact on the work through all these years is really impossible to measure. It is fair to say that without Sandy, UFI in its present form would simply not exist. It was Sandy who handed out the last medal UFI awarded so far – so he very much is the only possible person to receive this new Medal of Honour first.”
“Mary Larkin served UFI as president during our industry’s darkest hour – the midst of the pandemic.,” Dickinson added. “As our organisation’s first-ever female president, she drove change across the UFI leadership. Today, one-third of the colleagues on the UFI Executive Committee are women – a share twice as high as in our industry’s boardrooms. The changemaker here was Mary, and the UFI Medal of Honour is a small way to show our gratitude for all of this”, he added.
And of the outgoing UFI CEO, Dickinson said: “ I have seen the impact Kai has made on UFI and how his work has shaped and evolved into what UFI is today. Undeterred by the pandemic or political and economic crisis, he has steered the course of UFI in the last decade. I thoroughly admire him for his skills here. As he leaves his role as UFI CEO, he more than deserves a Medal of Honour as recognition.”
The 2024 UFI Congress highlights have included session on rethinking data-driven trade fair services; Using AI to drive registration and conversion rates; Insights on turning change in to opportunity and an ‘Exhibition Industry Board’ meeting moderated by Kai Hattendorf with Geoff Dickinson, Panittha Buri, and Lisa Hannant.
They emphasised the importance of adapting to changing market geographies and sectors, leveraging data for strategic planning, and considering the various needs of various visitor demographics. The Board agreed on resolutions to guide the industry, including the significance of customer experience, venue partnerships, and the adoption of technologies like AI.
The Congress wraps up 22 November with the spotlight on advocacy and on the achievements of UFI Award winners.
The final day New Generation Leadership (NGL) showcase is focused on levelling up the exhibition industry and there will be a review of the German trade fair industry to conclude.
