AMBIENTE

Frankfurt

11 / 15 February 2022

MESSE FRANKFURT INITIATES GENERATION CHANGE IN THE CONSUMER GOODS TRADE FAIRS SECTOR

The consumer goods industry is facing fundamental challenges, both globally and nationally. In order to actively shape this process of change, which has been further accelerated by the Corona pandemic, Julia Uherek and Philipp Ferger will take over as Vice Presidents of Consumer Goods Fairs as of 01 June 2021. Nicolette Naumann, who is leaving the company at her own request, will continue to be available to Messe Frankfurt in an advisory capacity until 30 June 2021.

Temporary store closures, retail visit appointments, new product presentations via web conferences and exponential growth rates in online retailing – to name just a few of the buzzwords in the current discussion – are adding momentum to the already existing process of change in the consumer goods industry. Messe Frankfurt will be even more active in shaping this process of change in future, tapping new potential and further intensifying its consultancy for customers from Germany and abroad. At the same time, the company is initiating the upcoming generation change: As of 01 June 2021, Julia Uherek and Philipp Ferger will take over the management of Consumer Goods Fairs at Messe Frankfurt Exhibition as Vice Presidents Consumer Goods Fairs and will thus be responsible for all trade fair brands such as Ambiente, Christmasworld or Paperworld as well as future trade fair formats and platforms. In their function, they will continue to report to Stephan Kurzawski, Member of the Board of Management of Messe Frankfurt Exhibition.

Nicolette Naumann, who is leaving the company at her own request, has decided to give the generational transition the appropriate space this year due to her broad as well as deep trade fair and industry knowledge. Naumann has held various positions at Messe Frankfurt since 1986 and is currently responsible for Ambiente, the world’s most important consumer goods fair, and its international brand events. She will continue to be available to Messe Frankfurt in an advisory capacity until 30 June 2021.

Detlef Braun, Member of the Board of Management of Messe Frankfurt, commented: “With Julia Uherek and Philipp Ferger, we have found our new top team for the consumer goods industry. They both bring detailed knowledge of the consumer goods markets as well as extensive skills and experience in marketing, PR, sales and the organization of a wide range of trade fair and online formats to align our leading trade fair platforms for the future in an increasingly challenging global industry environment. We are delighted to have been able to recruit them for this challenging roles and thank Nicolette Naumann for a 35-year career at Messe Frankfurt and her countless successes at home and abroad, which are unparalleled in the industry. Her name will forever be associated with Ambiente.”

Since December 1, 2017, Julia Uherek has been responsible for the strategic orientation of the Paperworld, Creativeworld, Christmasworld and Beautyworld trade fairs as Group Show Director of consumer goods fairs. A journalism graduate, she began her career at Messe Frankfurt in 2008 as a trainee in the Corporate Communications department. Since 2011, she has headed the Marketing Communications Consumer Goods department for the aforementioned consumer goods trade fairs.

After graduating with a degree in business administration in March 2011, Philipp Ferger started as an assistant to the Board of Management and worked in this capacity for Detlef Braun, who is also responsible for the Consumer Goods & Leisure business segment, among other things. Since 2014, Ferger has been head of the regional trade show concept for the Consumer Goods business unit. In 2016, he also took over responsibility for Tendence as Group Show Director. On June 1, 2019, he was appointed as the second Managing Director of nmedia GmbH, alongside Nicolaus Gedat.