UFI chief executive Kai Hatterndorf gave a video address on social media to explain the reasons behind his decision to leave the global exhibition organisers association.
Hattendorf will leave UFI at the end of the year after having joined the organisation in 2015 following a media career that included broadcast journalism.
In a video announcement posted on LinkedIn this week, he said it was time to bring a new perspective into UFI’s leadership.
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“It’s the right decision. It would be good to have a new perspective for UFI, it would be good to have a new perspective for me,” Hattendorf said in the video, adding that the association was constantly evolving with a demand for fresh outlooks.
“This change of perspective has been driving me over the last 10 years in this role. And as part of that I had exchanges with the leadership and suggested that the next change of perspective would be for them to look for the new leader of UFI and to bring a new perspective to the organisation.
“This is a difficult decision to make as I am blessed with an amazing, talented team working around the world.”
A role like mine is ultimately stewardship. You’re tasked to bring an organisation from one point in time to another and do you best to help it evolve, and thrive, and stay relevant… we have come a long way in doing that.”
– Kai Hattendorf
UFI announced on Tuesday that its leadership team, led by president Geoff Dickinson and supported by COO Adeline Vancauwelaert along with Hattendorf, is managing the process of recruiting the next chief executive.
Dickinson said in the UFI statement: “UFI has an extremely strong team in place in Paris and the offices around the world, thanks to the amazing work Kai is doing, together with our COO Adeline Vancauwelaert in recent years.
“On behalf of the UFI leadership, I cannot highlight enough how Kai’s tireless work over the past ten years has driven UFI’s growth and development through good times as well as the pandemic – the worst crisis we all had to face in our lifetime. Kai’s commitment to our industry is unparalleled, and we will make sure to see him off in style towards the end of the year.”
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In the UFI statement, Hattendorf said: “A role like this is a stewardship for every person in office, and part of that stewardship is to find the right time to pass on the baton to a new leader. I could think of no better time to do this than the coming months, and as part of UFI’s centennial where we recognise the achievement of the past while preparing for the challenges of tomorrow.”
UFI, which was founded in 1925, is preparing to mark its centennial at its 2024 Global Congress in Cologne, Germany in November, which is due to be attended by Hattendorf.
Hattendorf’s announcement also comes as UFI prepares to co-locate its Asia-Pacific Conference in Melbourne with AIME in 2025. AIME is set to run February 10-12 followed by the two-day UFI conference.
