Sharjah Expo Centre said its CEO Saif Mohammed Al Midfa has been elected as the first vice-chairman of the Middle East/African chapter of the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI), Paris.

The UFI is the prestigious association of the world’s leading tradeshow organisers and fairground owners, as well as major national and international exhibition associations, and selected partners of the exhibition industry.

Midfa will have a three-year mandate, which will commence from the UFI Congress in Bogotá (October 29 to November 1, 2014).

“After serving the UFI regional chapter as one of the chairmen, the election as the First Vice-Chairman is both a recognition of the good work done during the past three years as well as an added responsibility and commitment to serve the interests of its members and the entire exhibition industry,” said an elated Midfa.

The UFI Middle East/African Chapter currently has 61 members and its list of approved shows runs into several hundreds of B2B and B2C exhibitions.

Globally, UFI represents 641 member organisations in 83 countries and more than 907 trade fairs and exhibitions organised by its members carry the UFI-approved tag.

“I also see this selection as a sign of confidence the UFI and its members have placed on me to work for the continued success of our members and their initiatives. The fact that the UFI Middle East/Africa regional office is at Expo Centre Sharjah also helps in improving coordination among the regional members,” stated the Sharjah expo chief.

“We need to add more value to our events, improve our facilities and enhance our offerings... given the enormous challenges and opportunities that are set to come our way on the back of mega events like the World Expo 2020, FIFA World Cup 2022 and growing economies” he added.

A seasoned finance and marketing professional, Midfa has been instrumental in expanding the business horizon and profitability of Expo Centre Sharjah, which became a member of UFI in 2009.-TradeArabia News Service