Infrastructure reflected in events
What would the North be without it? St. Petersburg is second only to the capital Moscow in the exhibition rankings. Sergeij Alexeev, Chief Executive Officer of Lenexpo, talks about its mission, plans and new projects.
With the fall of the Iron Curtain Lenexpo completely reinvented itself. Where does the exhibition company stand today?
Today we hold the undisputed second slot in Russia. Twelve percent of all Russian trade fairs are staged here, 49 % in Moscow and 39 % in all other regions in the country. But you mustn't forget that 75 % of all events organised in the north-west of Russia take place here.
What are the other most important exhibition venues in the city besides Lenexpo?
Lenexpo alone offers 40,000 m2 of exhibition space, divided among eight halls. Another 65,000 m2 of open air space is also available. Then there is the SKK Petersburgsky Arena with about 10,000 m2 and the Manezh in the city centre featuring around 4,500 m2. In the main, art exhibitions are held there.
Which sectors do the major trade fairs in St. Petersburg cover?
With the themes construction and shipbuilding, mechanics, nuclear technology, energy, agriculture, food, instrument making and transport and logistics we are very well ranged in these fields. Its population of 4.6 million makes St. Petersburg an important logistical entrepôt in Russia. As well as by land and air, it is also accessible by water. The heart of Russian shipbuilding is located here, for instance - and this infrastructure is mirrored in the trade shows.
And which organisers have the say?
Apart from Lenexpo, which also owns the exhibition centre, the major players are Restec, Farexpo (formerly Orthicon) and Primexpo-ITE from the UK.
So how high is the level of internationalisation?
Primexpo is the foreign organiser that implements the most fairs here. A member of the ITE Group, London, it is investing in the development of events for the food industry, among others, such as Prod-tech, Foodpack and InterFood, which it is looking to grow in cooperation with national organisers. Another example is Messe Frankfurt. We have a partnership with them for implementation of the Auto+Automechanika. Other international players are Polexpo and the Polish chamber of commerce, Finexpo from Finland and Messe Hamburg. E.J. Krause from the USA and Turkel Exhibitions from Turkey also use the location.
What is the most important project for you at the moment?
The 10th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum has just taken place (June 13 to 15) under the patronage of the President of the Russian Federation. We welcomed more than 1,500 participants and guests to Lenexpo. New for us was the premiere of three exhibitions during the Economic Forum, They presented new technologies dealing with innovations and investment projects in the energy sector to the Russians and their partners. Lots of new developments were launched during the Forum. This large-scale event also provides fresh food for thought. For instance, participants could listen to addresses by Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz, one of the authors of monetary theory, and various professors from Sweden and the University of Columbia in the USA. Other extremely interesting guests for us were the economics ministers from Brazil, India and China - countries currently posting the highest economic growth alongside Russia, making them serious contenders. (Editor's note: Restec, the company listed by Russia's IUEF International Union of Exhibitions and Fairs as the country's fourth most important organiser, played a leading role in organisation of the programme.)
The challenges of the global exhibition market aside, how would you describe relations with Moscow?
One thing is clear: exhibition business in Moscow is far bigger than in any other part of Russia. The capital is unquestionably extremely attractive as a business location for nationals and internationals alike. That said, it is our mission, together with official representatives of the Russian Federation, to promote the economic development of other regions and raise international awareness for their exhibitions.
How do you deal with competition?
As I said before, we are the major exhibition factor for the North. Besides which, we are convinced that each region has its own special attraction for investors, coloured by local industry, the regional economy, politics and culture. St. Petersburg, for example, is considered the intellectual capital of Russia. It is here that new trends emerge; developments and ideas of interest throughout the world are born in the city. It is a centre of art and culture that can rely on a sophisticated network of hotels and perfect infrastructure. Important international gatherings are traditionally held in the city. It is the most powerful tourist magnet in the country. Experts also rate investments in St. Petersburg as stable. The city pursues a sound, responsible budgetary policy.
Given such optimism, are you planning further investment?
At the moment we are busy with the development of further available sites and working on new projects. It is worth keeping in mind that we only completed our Pavilion 7 in 2005, covering an area of 16,000 m2. The exhibition hall can easily be transformed into a convention hall for up to 1,000 delegates and is state of the art.
What impact have the 300th anniversary celebrations had on new projects?
The entire city, not just Lenexpo is reaping the fruits. New roads, parks and hotels enhance more than St. Petersburg's appeal to tourists alone. Our exhibition guests also welcome the changes and investment in the infrastructure and cityscape. Now it's up to us to take the existing exhibitions forward and tap into the innovative potential. Interview: Christine Seizinger
m+a report Nr.4 / 2006 vom 15.06.2006
m+a report vom 15. Juni 2006