Paris, 1st October: Earlier this year, Chief Executive Officer of UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, Kai Hattendorf, announced to step down and the association has selected Chris Skeith, OBE, to be the next CEO on 1st January 2025.

Skeith is now serving as CEO of the Association of Event Organisers (AEO), the association for organisers of events in the U.K. and internationally.

Geoff Dickinson, UFI President, said, “We interviewed several excellent candidates both from within and outside of UFI, and with Chris, we are convinced that we have selected an excellent leader to continue the development and evolution of UFI as our industry’s globally leading trade body. Chris has been active in UFI for many years, chairing the Associations Committee and serving on UFI’s Executive Committee. In his AEO role, he has worked closely with our present management team, Kai and Adeline, on many issues, from Event Management to Advocacy. He is uniquely qualified to take on the role of the UFI CEO with his excellent track record.”