PR84012

NUREMBERG, Germany, May 13, 2020 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

- Ernst Kick and Dr. Hans-Juergen Richter to step down in 2021

- Christian Ulrich, Florian Hess and Jens Pflüger form three-strong team

The management of Spielwarenmesse eG is setting the course for the future and

has revealed significant changes to the Executive Board which will take effect

half-way through next year. The long-standing Executives Ernst Kick (CEO) and

Dr. Hans-Juergen Richter will be leaving on 30 June 2021 when their term comes

to an end. The new Executive Board will be expanded to three members. Christian

Ulrich, Florian Hess and Jens Pflüger, all experienced industry experts, will

take over the helm of the Nuremberg exhibition organiser and marketing services

provider on 1 July 2021. The decision was made during the Supervisory Board

meeting on 8 May 2020.

This early decision by Spielwarenmesse eG demonstrates foresight and

consideration. Axel Kaldenhoven, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at

Spielwarenmesse eG, commented: "Trade fairs are as important as ever and will

lose none of their significance. After all, industries across the board thrive

on personal business relationships. This strategic step is both logical and

right and will ensure that Spielwarenmesse eG continues to operate successfully

and proactively."

The generous time frame paves the way for a fluid transition. The future

management team will be taking over a solid company which Ernst Kick and Dr.

Hans-Juergen Richter have adapted to the changing market in recent years,

shaping it in decisive ways. Assuming his role as CEO in 2002, Ernst Kick has

strengthened the cooperative, whilst conceptually reinforcing the leading role

of the Spielwarenmesse and driving internationalisation. As a member of the

Executive Board, Dr. Hans-Juergen Richter has been responsible for legal

questions and matters relating to members since 2005.

The three future members of the Executive Board have been recruited from the

cooperative's own ranks. Christian Ulrich, Florian Hess and Jens Pflüger have

many years' experience in the exhibition industry and, as members of the

management, have all played an important role in shaping company strategy and

building international exhibition projects. Their responsibilities are all

clearly defined: Christian Ulrich will assume the role of Executive Board

Spokesman and will be responsible for Marketing, Press Relations &

Communication as well as New Business Areas. Florian Hess will oversee Event

Organisation, Sales and Legal Matters. Jens Pflüger will look after Finance,

IT, HR, Digitalisation and Member Services.

Commenting on the changes, Ernst Kick stated: "I'll be delighted next year to

place the responsibilities of the Executive Board in such trustworthy and

capable hands." When speaking about the transition in difficult times such as

these, he also had a few words of encouragement: "The exhibition industry is

facing unprecedented challenges. Given that the team had already started

working on alternative formats even before corona and we are happy to offer

guidance during the transition period, I'm optimistic that the new team will be

very successful in steering the fortunes of Spielwarenmesse eG long into the

future."

Spielwarenmesse eG

Spielwarenmesse eG is the fair organizer and marketing services provider for

the toy sector and other consumer goods markets. The Nuremberg company

organizes the world-leading Spielwarenmesse® in Nuremberg, Kids India in Mumbai

and Insights-X in Nuremberg. The range of services provided by the cooperative

also includes industry campaigns and the international fair programme, World of

Toys by Spielwarenmesse eG, which enables manufacturers to exhibit at pavilions

featured at trade fairs in Asia and Russia. Spielwarenmesse eG operates a

worldwide network of representatives in over 90 countries. It also has several

subsidiaries, including Spielwarenmesse Shanghai Co., Ltd., responsible for the

People's Republic of China and Spielwarenmesse India Pvt. Ltd., covering the

Indian market. The cooperative holds a majority stake in the Russian exhibition

company Grand Expo, which organizes Kids Russia in Moscow. Die roten Reiter

GmbH subsidiary with headquarters in Nuremberg works as communication agency

for the consumer and capital goods industry. The complete company profile of

Spielwarenmesse eG can be seen on the Internet at www.spielwarenmesse-eg.com.

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Source: Spielwarenmesse eG