VNU President David Zhong was Appointed Chair of UFI Asia-Pacific ChapterVNU President David Zhong was Appointed Chair of UFI Asia-Pacific Chapter

2017.07.14

The world's most authoritative and influential exhibition organization -The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (here in after referred to as UFI) recently announced the latest general election results, David Zhong, President of VNU Exhibition Asia was elected as Chairman of UFI Asia-Pacific Chapter. Meanwhile, he will enter the UFI Board of Directors and UFI Executive Committee to participate in the discussion and solve the challenges and problems of the regional industry and enterprises to promote vigorous and sustainable development of the global exhibition industry as a whole.

Mr. Zhong has worked as an exhibition organizer since 1991. He founded Shanghai Keylong Exhibitions Service Co., Ltd. as the General Manager in 1993. In 2011, VNU partnered with Royal Dutch Jaarbeurs and established VNU Exhibitions Asia, and Zhong was appointed as a Managing Director. Since 2007, he has been the President of VNU Exhibitions Asia.

Mr. Zhong led the team, using their own resources and experience advantages, and cooperated with the overseas exhibition, had introduced many international brands into the Chinese market and had a further growth, such as Domotex, R + T, Salone del Mobile.Milano, TCT, VIV and so on. At the same time, by virtue of the keen insight of the market and excellent ability, he personally created a series of Chinese industry leading exhibition in an international standards, such as Pet Fair Asia, Shanghai International Money Fair, Shanghai World Travel Fair, International Building Industrialization of Construction Exhibition Asia and HORTI China which will be held in November in 2017 and so on. After more than 20 years of development practice, VNU Exhibition Asia has gradually formed its own unique - "international localization and local internationalization."

After got the news, Mr. Zhong said that, "As the founder of the exhibition company in China, in the past 25 years we have been determined to become the international professional exhibition company which were founded by Chinese. It is not only honor, but also responsibility. Not only my personal honor, but also to all the dreamers of the Chinese exhibition. The Asia-Pacific chapter including China turn into strong exhibition area from the major countries of exhibition, which need to build a healthy and harmonious Asia-Pacific exhibition industry ecosphere. I will promote Asia-Pacific exhibition industry covering China to integrate into the global mainstream exhibition industry as my mission, and to strengthen and deepen the Asia-Pacific exhibition industry and the global exhibition industry exchanges and cooperation to promote the innovation in the global exhibition theory and practice. Especially, the international, composite, practical top talent education which is the urgent need for the exhibition industry, and also will be my historical mission and responsibility as the Chairman of UFl Asia-Pacific Chapter in the next three years.

Meanwhile, Joost VAN DE KAMP, Director of Human Resources of Jaarbeurs, was elected as Chairman of the Human Resources Management Committee. “I am delighted to take over the role of HR Management Committee Chair. My focus as Chair will be to lead the committee transformation process in order to develop it into an industry leading platform that will inspire people on HR and allow sharing knowledge on this topic. During my term, I will work together with the group to expand the committee membership and to connect with more HR people across the globe. It is key to raise awareness on HR matters and HR’s added value to the business. In recent years HR has in fact developed from being strictly administrative to becoming a business partner for leadership and management”. Joost van de Kamp commented.

The new 2017-2020 mandates will commence after the General Assembly at the UFI Global Congress in Johannesburg, South Africa, that will take place from 1 – 4 November 2017.