Little black book
Many people would give their eye teeth for his notebook. As chief of protocol at exhibition company Deutsche Messe, Helmut Zander did more than arrange visits by politicians. His department is the nerve centre for networking "made in Hanover".
It is the only trade fair that describes the entire digital world in one place - CeBIT. All the stops will be pulled out once again from March 9 to 15, 2006 in Hanover. But the fair is much more than just a product show. "The worlds of politics and industry use trade fairs as a forum and stage. They appeal to them for various reasons," says Helmut Zander, for many years head of Hanover-based Deutsche Messe’s Protocol and Corporate Events Department. He knows that economic policy debate does not stop at fairs - rather the contrary.
"Premium events of enormous business significance are hugely attractive," he says with satisfaction. That makes his job easier. One of his duties is to put the icing on the cake of the media event with one or more prominent keynote speakers. A win-win situation for all concerned: the protocol departments invite politicians and top-notch association representatives to their exhibition - and they are delighted to accept. At such fairs they seek and find forums thronging with journalists. For associations, too, the opportunity is prized for its high PR impact. After all, at the major international highlights and product innovations everyone can be sure of broad attention from the public. "That is politicians fundamental interest," Zander says.
He is a past master at developing relationship strategies. Deutsche Messe’s VIP file is vast. 35,000 to 40,000 addresses are stored there, he estimates. Hand-picked contacts are kept elsewhere:
The chief of protocol's notebook is legendary, the repository of the really resonant political and business names. A tool for which many colleagues envy him, made so "contentful" thanks to major media events of Hanover Fair and CeBIT calibre. Yet it is not so much the little black reference book that Zander relies on: "It's absolutely no go without personal contacts." He has had to build up trust through practical work, though, he says. For 15 years he cultivated close contacts with principals of government ministers offices and personal ministerial assistants.
He knows the procedures and modus operandi in the ministries like the back of his hand; after all, he sat on the other side for long enough: Helmut Zander worked in the Lower Saxony state government, his last post being that of spokesman for Birgit Breuel during her term as finance minister. In 1990 he switched to Deutsche Messe. That the then German chancellor, Gerhard Schröder, was often to be found at the Hanover Fairs was not only because he lived in Hanover. Zander's former colleague from the state parliament had risen to office manager of the then chancellor {hellip} "That was a huge stroke of luck for me."
But perfect connections aside, opening events are political minefields twice over. Before a gathering the protocol department mulls the seating arrangements. Who should be placed where? It is a task that calls for lots of finesse.
Zander: "Long ahead of an event, the Deutsche Messe executive board extends invitations in personal letters, both in Germany and abroad. The response is enormous." His department is there to assist politicians, captains of industry or multipliers. "We arrange the programmes and handle them from start to finish."
Zander's department works particularly closely with the offices of high-ranking politicians. Arrangements with the Chancellery in Berlin go into the finest detail. "Nothing must be left to chance." And if things do not turn out quite as expected? "That is the art of protocol: No one must be allowed to notice," Zander says. There has been no lack of eventful experiences with impressive and famous people.
The occasions par excellence for the protocol department are visits by foreign heads of government. These always involve more or less time and effort - more in the case of Russian president Vladimir Putin's visit last year. A twenty-strong reconnaissance party stayed five days to discuss and coordinate everything beforehand. This year, from April 24 to 28, India will be showcasing itself as a dynamic "nation of the future". Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will also use the international political meeting ground to strengthen the economic contacts between his country and Germany. Yet another interesting challenge for the protocol experts, but this time under the aegis of Michael Rose.
m+a report Nr.1 / 2006 vom 13.02.2006
m+a report vom 13. Februar 2006