Snöcap June 13, 2025
Snöball correspondent
|
What's hot and happening in the world of events this week? Here's our weekly Snöcap, where we bring the peaks of news stories in exhibitions and associations.
Scroll down for more details 👇
The top event stories that made waves:
- UFI records largest regional event with European Events Week 2025 clocking 400 delegates
- Tahaluf collaborates with ewpartners to launch LEAP East in Hong Kong
- Manchester Central ropes in Stephanie Newton as new commercial director
- IAEE partners with BTX Global Logistics for event freight services
- GES EMEA names Penny Banks as new creative director
- Who is hiring?
UFI records largest regional event with European Events Week 2025 clocking 400 delegates
UFI European Events Week 2025 drew 400 industry leaders from 37 countries to Thessaloniki from June 3-7, marking the largest regional event in the trade association's history.
TIF-HELEXPO hosted the gathering that coincided with the 100th anniversaries of both organizations. The event featured sessions on trade tariffs, digital strategy, sustainability and exhibitor return on investment.
"Thessaloniki didn't just host the UFI European Events Week 2025 — it energized it," said Dr. Kyriakos Pozrikidis, CEO of TIF-HELEXPO.
The event received backing from EU Commissioner for Sustainable Transport & Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas and attendance from Deputy Minister of the Interior Konstantinos Gioulekas and Thessaloniki's mayor.
TIF-HELEXPO earned ISO 20121 certification for sustainable event management, making this the first UFI event to receive the international standard. UFI launched an exhibition featuring archived content from 1925 to 1999, with the complete display scheduled for the Global Congress in Hong Kong in November.
The event included the launch of "Better Stands by NZCE," an initiative to transition from single-use to reusable exhibition stands, supported by Net Zero Carbon Events and the International Federation of Exhibition & Event Services.
Snöball provided social media amplification for the event through personalized social cards for individual advocates.
Fifty exhibition directors from 30 European organizations participated in a workshop led by MCI Global President Oscar Cerezales. The gathering coincided with Global Exhibitions Day on June 4, which reached audiences in over 100 countries under the theme "Exhibitions Unleash Potential."
UFI represents the global exhibition industry through member organizations across six continents.
Tahaluf collaborates with ewpartners to launch LEAP East in Hong Kong
Tahaluf, organizer of the LEAP technology conference, announced a partnership with Hong Kong-based ewpartners to launch LEAP East at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The collaboration marks the first expansion of the Saudi Arabia-based event beyond its home country.
LEAP East will host more than 25,000 visitors and feature 200 speakers and 300 exhibitors focused on artificial intelligence, financial technology and health technology. The event will include investment zones and startup showcases.
The original LEAP conference launched in Riyadh in 2021. The 2025 edition attracted 215,000 attendees and generated deals worth $14.9 billion with an economic impact of $820 million.
ewpartners was selected based on its experience in Middle East-Asia business relationships and has facilitated partnerships with Hong Kong technology firms including Alibaba Cloud, J&T Express and Leshines.
"LEAP East will serve as a catalyst for growing the global tech ecosystem," said Faisal AlKhamisi, chairman of the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones, during the announcement at LEAP Riyadh in February.
The partnership aims to connect Saudi innovation with Asian technology ecosystems and facilitate cross-border partnerships between the regions.
Manchester Central ropes in Stephanie Newton as new commercial director
Manchester Central has appointed Stephanie Newton as its new commercial director, the venue announced.
Newton will join in June after more than 20 years in events and hospitality. She most recently served as head of business tourism at Marketing Manchester and previously spent 23 years with hotel chains including Marriott International, Radisson SAS and Mercure.
Newton will lead Manchester Central's commercial strategy and focus on attracting global events that align with Manchester's industry strengths.
"She has led the city's business tourism strategy for many years and will bring commercial expertise in this field," CEO Lori Hoinkes said.
Manchester Central welcomes nearly 500,000 visitors annually and contributes about £130 million to the regional economy.
IAEE partners with BTX Global Logistics for event freight services
The International Association of Exhibitions and Events has named BTX Global Logistics as the official freight carrier for its annual meeting and exhibition through 2027.
The partnership covers Expo! Expo! events in Houston (Dec. 8-10, 2025), Milwaukee (Nov. 16-18, 2026) and New Orleans (Dec. 6-8, 2027).
BTX will provide domestic and international freight services, customs brokerage and onsite support during move-in and move-out periods.
"We are excited to partner with BTX Global Logistics to enhance the exhibitor experience," said Marsha Flanagan, IAEE president and CEO.
BTX will offer per-pound quotes, a 10% round-trip discount, pre-printed shipping labels and 24/7 online tracking.
"This partnership represents a milestone for BTX Global Logistics," said Glenn Patton, vice president of compliance and risk. "We look forward to serving the IAEE community."
BTX Global Logistics, based in Shelton, Connecticut, specializes in trade show logistics.
GES EMEA names Penny Banks as new creative director
Global Event Specialists EMEA has appointed Penny Banks as creative director, the company announced.
Banks brings experience in experiential design and brand storytelling in exhibitions and live events. As creative director, she will develop concepts that incorporate sustainability measures and lead creativity across the business.
"We have both a responsibility and an opportunity to be part of a new wave of events that are tactile and beautiful in design, strategic and meaningful in implementation, and sustainable in their creation," Banks said.
Dean Linehan, vice president of client relations at GES EMEA, said the appointment strengthens the company's design capabilities.
"Penny's appointment strengthens our ability to design experiences that are both visionary and responsible," Linehan said.
Who is hiring?
This section highlights the latest job positions in the events and associations industry. Here are some new roles that have opened up:
Visa
Events Manager
RX Global
Marketing Director - Events
Marriot International
Director Meetings Special Events and Operations
Boston Consulting Group
Meetings & Events Supplier Strategy Director
Interested in learning how peer-to-peer marketing can boost your event registrations and audience engagement? Book a chat to know how Snöball can help .
