Welcome to the latest edition of Snöcap 🏔️ – our weekly event news roundup
Major rumblings in the Middle East! Our lead story is about bauma, the world’s largest trade fair for the construction industry, held every three years in Munich, Germany.
A new chapter is unfolding – bauma SAUDI ARABIA is set to debut in April 2027, following a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Messe München and dmg events to bring the iconic show to the region.
Other top stories of the week include:
- UFI releases latest European exhibition statistics covering 55% of the industry
- Paul Reeve to take up the reins of the NEC Group as new CEO
- Raccoon Media Group partners with Messe München to shape the future of ISPO
- DWTC to host 18 flagship events in November, led by Gulfood Manufacturing
- Who is hiring?
Read on for the full stories ⤵️
Messe München and dmg events to launch bauma SAUDI ARABIA in 2027
Messe München will launch bauma SAUDI ARABIA in April 2027 in Riyadh in cooperation with dmg events as exhibition organizer and local project partner.
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The companies signed a n MoU for the inaugural edition of the international offshoot of the trade fair for construction machinery and mining.
The agreement specifies that editions of the Big 5 Construct Saudi will focus on construction materials, building design and fitout from 2027 onward, while bauma SAUDI ARABIA will focus on construction machinery and vehicles, building material machines and mining machines.
Saudi Arabia’s reform program Vision 2030 positions the country as a growth market in the Middle East. The country relies on imported goods, creating conditions for bauma and its clientele.
“The economic momentum in Saudi Arabia is tremendous. With bauma SAUDI ARABIA, we are becoming part of it, showcasing innovations and technologies for our customers and driving investment. At the same time, we are strengthening our international presence and securing Munich’s position as a trade fair location,” said Messe München CEOs Stefan Rummel and Dr. Reinhard Pfeiffer in a joint statement.
Matt Denton, President, dmg events added, “With over 40 years of the Big 5 championing the Middle East construction market in Dubai and 15 years of Big 5 Construct Saudi shining a spotlight on the burgeoning Saudi Arabian market, we are pleased to enter into another exciting chapter with Messe München and bauma in Saudi Arabia.”
Saudi Arabia is a focus market for Messe München. The kingdom will host IFAT in January 2026. bauma SAUDI ARABIA will be the company’s second event in the region at the Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center.
UFI releases latest European exhibition statistics covering 55% of the industry
UFI has released its Euro Fair Statistics 2024 report covering exhibition performance across 16 European countries.
The data was verified by 11 industry bodies and represents almost 55% of the European exhibition market.
“The number of events covered by the ‘Euro Fair Statistics’ report has continued to grow in recent years,” UFI CEO Chris Skeith OBE said. “UFI estimates that this year’s data represents almost 55% of the European exhibition market.”
“We thank all the national bodies that contribute to this report by providing their certified data,” Skeith said. “This year, for the first time, they were asked to indicate whether the reported figures refer to visitors or to visits, thereby improving the precision of the indicator.”
Key figures from the report:
- 2,240 exhibitions covered, including 235 with UFI Approved Event status
- 23.1 million square meters of rented space
- 53.8m visits
- 594,444 exhibiting companies
- 920 organizers participated
- 642,831 exhibitors registered
- 40% of exhibitions targeted trade audiences
- 30% were public exhibitions
- 30% catered to both audiences
Data was supplied by national associations in Italy (AEFI), Spain (AFE), Finland (ATFEO), Portugal (BDO & Associates), Central and Eastern Europe (CENTREX), the Netherlands (CLC-VECTA), Belgium (FEBELUX), Germany (FKM), Greece (SOKEE), Turkey (TOBB) and France (UNIMEV-OJS).
The 2024 edition includes certified statistics from 16 countries. For the fourth year, hybrid events were included, with 38 such events reported across participating countries.
Paul Reeve to take up the reins of the NEC Group as new CEO
Paul Reeve will succeed Melanie Smith as CEO of the NEC Group on Jan. 1, 2026. Melanie will step down at the end of 2025 and continue to support the company as an adviser in her new role as a Senior Adviser to Blackstone, the NEC’s owner.
Paul joined the NEC as CFO in October 2023. He spent 10 years at AEG, where he was European CFO overseeing venue, ticketing, touring and festival operations across the region.
Stephen Goodluck will join as CFO, succeeding Paul. Stephen joins from Bourne Leisure, where he served as Group Finance Director. He has held senior roles at Dunelm Group and finance roles across Sainsburys Argos.
Sir Nick Varney, Chair of NEC Group, commented:
“Melanie has done an amazing job as CEO. She joined at a pivotal time, tasked with refocusing, streamlining, and accelerating the business in the wake of the global pandemic’s impact on our industry.
“I am thrilled to announce that Paul will step into the role of CEO to lead the NEC Group into its next phase of growth. Paul is a strong and talented leader, who has been instrumental in shaping the Group’s strategy and delivering a number of significant transformation projects since he joined in 2023.””
Paul Reeve, incoming CEO, commented:
“I am honored to be appointed CEO of such an iconic business as the NEC Group. With a clear strategy, great trading momentum, and a very strong platform for growth, we are well-positioned to build on our success.
“ Backed by internationally renowned venues, fantastic supporting infrastructure, and an exceptional team of colleagues, I’m excited to lead the next phase for Europe’s leading live events business.”
Raccoon Media Group partners with Messe München to shape the future of ISPO
Raccoon Media Group and Messe München have formed a joint venture to operate ISPO, a trade event for the sporting goods and outdoor industry. Raccoon Media Group will handle operational leadership.
The event will move to RAI Amsterdam starting in 2026, with dates set for Nov. 3-5. The partnership includes a 3 million euro investment program:
- 1 million euros for advocacy supporting organizations that protect natural environments
- 1m euros for a global hosted buyer program
- 1m euros for a content program
The 2026 event will open with The ISPO Leaders’ Summit. Confirmed speakers include Jimmy Chin, Hap Klopp, Professor Laura McAllister, Andy Rubin, John Lacy and Pia Heidenmark Cook. A two-day exhibition will follow.
The 2025 event will take place in Munich under Messe München.
Mike Seaman, Group CEO of Raccoon Media Group, said the partnership combines “the rich heritage and reputation of ISPO with our agile, forward-thinking, community-driven approach.” He added that the European sports and outdoor market “has fragmented over the last decade and needs a cohesive platform to discuss key issues, network and do business.”
Stefan Rummel and Dr Reinhard Pfeiffer, CEOs of Messe München, said the joint venture “is a real new beginning and brings opportunities for the continuation of our traditional event.”
DWTC to host 18 flagship events in November, led by Gulfood Manufacturing
Dubai World Trade Centre will host 18 exhibitions and conferences in November across food and beverage, construction, education and sustainability sectors.
Gulfood Manufacturing, in its 11th edition, will run Nov. 4-6. The event will feature:
- Over 2,500 exhibitors from 72 countries
- Focus on food processing, packaging, automation and supply chain solutions
Other events scheduled for November include Global Educational Supplies & Solutions (Nov. 11-13), Paperworld Middle East & Gift & Lifestyle Middle East (Nov. 11-13), and World Tobacco Middle East (Nov. 11-12).
Big 5 Global, a construction and infrastructure exhibition, will run Nov. 24-27. The event will attract:
- More than 85,000 participants
- 2,800 exhibitors from over 165 countries
Additional events include The Mining Show (Nov. 17-18), VisionPlus Expo (Nov. 17-18), HVACR World (Nov. 24-27) and Future FM (Nov. 24-27).
See the full list of events and exhibitions
Who is hiring?
Komodo – Head of Events
Origami Risk – Director of Field Marketing & Events
Nuvem – Sr. Manager, Events and Brand Experience
T-Mobile – Manager, Creative Direction – Experience & Events
Northern Trust – Sr Event Planner
