With UFI’s current CEO, Kai Hattendorf, set to depart the association at the end of this year, the organisation has chosen Chris Skeith, OBE as its new CEO.
Skeith is currently the chief executive of the Association of Event Organisers (AE0), which serves companies that organise trade and consumer events in the United Kingdom.
He will depart AEO for UFI after a decade in the job.
“We interviewed several excellent candidates both from within and outside of UFI, and with Chris, we are convinced that we have selected an excellent leader to continue the development and evolution of UFI as our industry’s globally leading trade body,” said UFI president, Geoff Dickinson.
“Chris has been active in UFI for many years, chairing the Associations Committee and serving on UFI’s Executive Committee.
“In his AEO role, he has worked closely with our present management team, Kai and Adeline, on many issues, from event management to advocacy.
“He is uniquely qualified to take on the role of the UFI CEO with his excellent track record.”
Skeith has spent 18 years working in events industry associations in the UK and received his OBE for services to the events industry.
“I look forward to continuing to serve our great industry, now on a global level at UFI,” he said.
“I am joining an UFI team that is already setting the global standard on research, advocacy, collaboration and community excellence, and I will do my very best to build on the great work that has been done in the last decade.”
Skeith will begin his role at UFI on January 1, 2025.
