Paris. Meeting in Malmö, Sweden on the occasion of its Open Seminar in Europe, UFI has selected Andrés Lopez-Valderrama as its incoming President effective November 2013.
The UFI Presidential term builds on a three year cycle: one year as Incoming-President, one year as incumbent President, and one year as immediate Past-President. Effective at the 80th UFI Congress in Seoul in November 2013, the UFI Presidential “trio” will consist of President Renaud Hamaide (CEO of both Comexposium and Viparis, France), outgoing President Chen Xianjin (Chairman of the Organizing Committee of China Association for Exhibition Centers, China) and Andrés Lopez-Valderrama (President Corferias, Colombia) as incoming President. Lopez-Valderrama’s position will automatically evolve at the 81st UFI Congress in November 2014 in Sao Paulo when he will assume his mandate as UFI President for a one year term. The “Presidential trio” makes possible a rapid and geographically varied rotation at the head of UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry.
Chen Xianjin, current President through November 2013, commented on the Board’s choice, saying, “this new UFI trio will represent a very strong international vision for UFI as it ensures a comprehensive view of the exhibition industry from three very different regions: Asia, Europe and America. It will strengthen the organisation as it leads UFI in delivering services and programmes to support our industry around the world.”
Andrés Lopez-Valderrama accepted this new role, saying, “It is a great pleasure for me to be the first Latin American member of a UFI Presidential trio. I am also honoured to be the youngest person chosen to occupy this position. This new role will certainly reinforce my commitment to the global exhibition industry, an industry that contributes so significantly to the economic development of so many countries.”
UFI is the global association of the world’s leading tradeshow organizers and exhibition centre operators as well as the major national and international exhibtion associations and selected partners of the Exhibition industry. Representing over 630 member organizations, UFI’s main goal is to represent, promote and support the business interests of its members and the global exhibition industry. Over 900 international trade fairs bear the UFI approved label, a quality guarantee for visitors and exhibitors alike. UFI members in 85 countries provide the international business community with a unique marketing media aimed at developing outstanding face-to-face business opportunities.
