Complementary competences

One side represents the economy, the other stands for marketing: The Association of Swiss Fairs (ASF), an alliance of Swiss exhibition organisers, and expo+event swiss association, a gathering of event marketers and exhibition construction companies, are set to wed, looking to tie the knot and stand united. "You have to combine forces if you want to get ahead," says Polo Looser, Managing Director Switzerland and Germany at MCI, Zurich, and chairman of expo+event. He stresses the two organisations complementary competences: "We are natural partners." Bruno Lurati, Ennetbürgen, who has been running the ASF since the beginning of the year and negotiating the merger on behalf of the organisers, is well aware. "Event and exhibition construction alone is not enough if the association wants to be heard. It won't work without the exhibition-makers. We're the ones with the good connections to business." Given the size of the market, he argues in favour of opening rather than sealing up the association. Lurati is looking forward to the prospective collaboration: "Fair, expo and event, that's the ideal combination." Looser is likewise in favour of "opening up": "Then we'll stand a better chance of development."

m+a report Nr.5 / 2006 vom 14.08.2006
m+a report vom 14. August 2006