(Pictured above the 2020-2021 IELA Committee, L-R: Lena Widman, Ravinder Sethi and Greg Keh)
In its efforts to be well equipped for the “NEW NOW,” the International Exhibition Logistics Association welcomes new leaders joining top decision-making positions. The association greets four new exhibition logistics leaders on the IELA Board of Management, Lena Widman joins the IELA Committee and Guido F
ornelli has been elected as 2020-2022 IELA chairman.
IELA 2020-2021 Board of Management:
The newly-formed IELA 2020-2021 BOM welcomes four new faces this year for a two-year term. The following individuals are all recognized leaders in the exhibition logistics industry and already involved in the association’s activities:
- Matthias Dornscheidt, vice president Global Fairs & Exhibitions – Schenker Deutschland AG, Germany
- Alexandra Erdmann, CEO – Swiss Expo Logistics Ltd., Switzerland
- Daniel Mithran, director – JIM Project & Expo Logistics (M) Sdn. Bhd, Malaysia
- Jacqui Nel, director – EF-GSM South Africa, South Africa
As newly-elected members, their longstanding industry experience and innovative visions are anticipated with enthusiasm as IELA steers towards the future.
Insight and support will also be provided by the following two members who have been re-elected for a two-year term:
- Guido Fornelli, managing director – Expotrans S.p.A., Italy
- Christoph Rauch, managing director – BTG Messe-Spedition GmbH, Germany
BOM members remaining for one more year are:
- Mariane Ewbanks, director of Fulstandig Shows e Eventos MC Ltda, Brazil
- Jim Kelty, Airways Freight Corporation, USA
- Emmanuel Pitchelu, director of E.S.I. Expo Services International, France
- Sandi Trotter, director of TWI Group Inc., Canada
Fornelli was elected as the new chairman for a period of two years. He has been involved with the association since 1992 and joined the IELA BOM for the first time in 2003. Fornelli says, “I’m honored to be the chairman of our association and look forward to starting work with the new elected Board. It is amazing to see that distance didn’t dampen, but even increased, our enthusiasm for involvement and participation in IELA life during the last months. The Digital Assembly and e-mail vote are definitely an experience of a new kind this year. I strongly hope we’ll not need to repeat it in the future!! It is indeed so sad that we did not get the chance to meet in person as usual and have to shift to our interesting Zoom meetings. Let’s hope we can step into a ‘New Now’ next year and resume the work we love and which we are used to handling so successfully. I can assure you that myself, the IELA Board and Elizabeth’s team are restless to continue on project development and to deliver the value we all need to overcome the pandemic with new ideas, new tools and new platforms for the new era! ”
The 2020-2021 IELA Committee:
During the General Assembly, Lena Widman, managing director – On-Site Exhibitions AB, Sweden, was elected as new committee member, joining Greg Keh, COO of TWI Group Inc., USA and Ravinder Sethi, managing director of R.E. Rogers India Pvt. Ltd., India., to form the 2020-2021 IELA Committee.
Elizabeth Niehaus, executive officer of IELA, says, “The ‘NEW NOW’ poses new challenges to the event value chain. The exhibition and event industry is a truly global industry made of resilient, creative and strong people. It’s the factor people which is the answer to all new threats. A great example is the new IELA Board of Management, ready to take decisive actions and launch a formal transformation programme for the association. We are particularly proud that women leaders make up 40 percent of management. They will be a source of inspiration to ignite IELA activities from another perspective, bringing their fresh input, ideas and initiatives to drive IELA into the future. The IELA trademark stands for excellence and cohesion in the industry. IELA is committed to the industry and to its members and is determined to actively promote the paramount role of events and exhibitions for all economies worldwide more than ever.”
The International Exhibition Logistics Association is the global industry network enhancing the professionalism of the transportation logistics and freight handling segments of the exhibition & event industry. IELA works with venue owners, organizers and national associations educating, training and sharing expertise for safe and secure operations around the world. The quality brand IELA is currently represented by 168 members and 29 affiliates in 56 countries. For more info, visit www.iela.org
