UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, has appointed Marie-Laure Bellon as its next chief operating officer. Currently the CEO and General Manager at French exhibition organizer Eurovet, she will join UFI on March 1, and work out of the organization’s headquarters in Paris. She was selected from a wide range of international candidates, following a global call for applicants.
Kai Hattendorf (pictured right), UFI CEO and managing director comments, “I am very pleased to welcome Marie-Laure Bellon to the UFI team and look forward to working together with her. Her experience in the exhibition industry will be an asset in leading UFI activities, managing the Paris Office and administration.”
Bellon says, “I am delighted to take on this role at UFI and to add my skills and experience to the impressive work that the team has done over the years. UFI holds a pivotal position in driving industry advocacy efforts and in keeping the industry connected and updated during these tough times. I look forward to this opportunity to serve the industry and to face the challenges that await me.”
Bellon joins UFI from Eurovet, the world-leading tradeshow organizer for lingerie and swimwear, and a subsidiary of Comexposium and the French Knitting and Lingerie Federation. At Eurovet, she has held various senior executive positions over the years. These roles involved the strategic positioning and restructuring of the business, launching new activities in Asia and the U.S., and leading the overall international development of the organization. Her career also includes leadership positions in management as well as business development for Reed Expositions France.
Bellon holds an executive MBA from the Toulouse Business School. She will take over the role of UFI COO from Sonia Thomas, who will leave the association in late March after many successful years to set up her own business. “On behalf of the whole UFI team and membership, I would like to thank Sonia for the unique part she has played in developing UFI as the global association for our industry in the various roles she had as her career evolved within UFI,” says Hattendorf.
UFI is the global trade association of the world’s tradeshow organizers and exhibition center operators, as well as the major national and international exhibition associations, and selected partners of the exhibition industry. UFI’s main goal is to represent, promote and support the business interests of its members and the exhibition industry. UFI directly represents more than 50,000 exhibition industry employees globally, and also works closely with its 60 national and regional association members. More than 800 member organizations in 83 countries around the world are presently signed up as members. Around 1,000 international trade fairs proudly bear the UFI approved label, a quality guarantee for visitors and exhibitors alike. UFI members continue to provide the international business community with a unique marketing media aimed at developing outstanding face-to-face business opportunities.
For more info, visit www.ufi.org, email media@ufi.org or call +33 (0)1 46 39 75 00.
