Wolfram Diener Elected as UFI President for 2026-27
The UFI Board of Directors has elected Wolfram Diener (President & CEO, Messe Düsseldorf Group) as the UFI President for the 2026-27 term.
Diener will join the UFI Presidential Trio as Incoming President in November 2025 and will become President in November 2026 at the 93rd UFI Global Congress in Bahrain.
The UFI Presidential Trio (photo on the right) for the November 2025 – November 2026 term will, therefore, be:
- Panittha Buri (Vice-Chairperson, Bhiraj Buri Group), President
- Hugh Jones (CEO, RX), Outgoing President
- Wolfram Diener (President & CEO, Messe Düsseldorf Group), Incoming President
This decision will become effective at the conclusion of the 92nd UFI Global Congress, which will take place from 19-22 November 2025 in Hong Kong SAR.
Wolfram Diener is the President and CEO of Messe Düsseldorf, a role he has held since July 2020. With over three decades of leadership experience in the global exhibitions industry, he contributed significantly to shaping Asia’s trade fair landscape in key leadership roles – including at UBM Asia (now Informa Markets), Venetian Macau Ltd., Marina Bay Sands Singapore Ltd., the Shanghai New International Expo Centre Ltd., and Messe Frankfurt. Since joining Messe Düsseldorf’s Executive Board in 2018, he has been driving the company’s international growth strategy.
Since November 2021, Diener has served as Treasurer on the UFI Executive Committee and sits on the UFI Board of Directors, playing an active role in advancing the association’s mission to support the global exhibition industry.
Wolfram Diener, UFI’s Incoming President, comments: “I am honoured to take on the UFI Presidency at a time of global challenges – not only as a representative of our industry, but as someone deeply convinced of its power to connect, inspire and enable progress. We must be present where the economy needs us most: in emerging markets and at the crossroads of global exchange. We are bridge builders – within industries, and between business, politics and science. With this mission in mind, I am committed to shaping a global exhibition industry that is collaborative, future-oriented and impactful. So that we can make our strongest contribution to moving the world forward.”
Hugh Jones, UFI’s President, adds: “Wolfram brings an extraordinary depth of leadership experience from one of the most successful and globally respected exhibition organizations. Under his guidance, Messe Düsseldorf has seen remarkable international expansion, strategic innovation, and sustained growth. His deep industry knowledge, global perspective, and forward-thinking vision make him exceptionally well placed to help steer the future of our industry. I look forward to working alongside him as we continue to shape a more connected, sustainable, and innovative exhibitions world.”
Chris Skeith OBE, UFI CEO and Managing Director, comments: “I have known Wolfram for many years, more recently as I stepped into the role of UFI CEO, where he serves as Treasurer on the UFI Executive Committee and sits on the UFI Board of Directors. I have always held him in the highest regard, so I am thrilled that he will be UFI’s Incoming President for 2026/27. His extensive international experience and deep understanding of both organiser and venue perspectives will be invaluable as we guide UFI into its next exciting chapter together.”
As UFI’s Incoming President, Wolfram Diener will work closely with the President and Outgoing President as part of the Presidential Trio, managing UFI at the highest level and furthering UFI’s mission to connect, support and promote the exhibition industry around the world.
UFI was founded in 1925 as a non-profit, nonpartisan, and international association. Today, it is the global association for the exhibition industry, directly representing more than 50,000 exhibition industry professionals in 90 countries around the world. UFI is headquartered in Paris, France, and operates five regional offices in Asia, North America, Central and South America, Europe, and the Middle East and Africa.
True to the association’s global presence, UFI’s recent Presidents have been from the UAE (Geoff Dickinson, 2023-24), the UK (Michael Duck, 2022-23), Hong Kong (Monica Lee-Müller, 2021-22), India (Anbu Varathan, 2020-21), USA (Mary Larkin, 2019-20), and South Africa (Craig Newman, 2018-19).
Published by Meeting Media Group, the publisher of Headquarters Magazine (HQ) – a leading international publication based in Brussels, serving the global MICE industry and association community.
