UFI People & Culture Working Group Update: New Members, New Conversations

Written by Cinzia Zanin, Responsible of Accademia Fiera Milano, Chair of the UFI People & Culture Working Group.

The thing I love the most about this group is the deepness of our conversations. In this last year we have grown significantly, thanks to the commitment of old members and the energy that new ones brought to the group.

I’m delighted to welcome five new professionals whose experience spans very different markets and backgrounds: Hala Dean from Clarion Events North America, Satyendra Mehra from Nürnberg Messe India, Rhiannon Phinbow from IMEX, Michelle Rivera Spann from Informa, and Roland Schaap from Royal Dutch Jaarbeurs. Each of them brings a perspective we need.

Our agenda for 2026 reflects what “people and culture” really means today. We started looking at neurodiversity but we plan also to discuss about parenthood and caring responsibilities, cross-generational workplaces, cultural integration, AI and ethics, women’s health, harassment, and conflict management. It’s an ambitious list, but these are the conversations our industry is ready to have.

During the UFI European Conference in İzmir, Türkiye earlier this month, our group member Raymond Rhodes (RX) joined Pauline Teyssedre (GALIS) and Vincenzo Cecere (Fiera Milano) from the UFI Sustainable Development Working Group to deliver a joint session on inclusive and accessible experiences in the exhibitions industry, as part of the Insight Series programme.

For me, the real value of this group has always been its international nature. Bringing together professionals from different cultures, companies and experiences means we learn from each other in ways that simply aren’t possible otherwise. That’s how we develop ideas that actually travel and help our industry grow in a more inclusive, people-centred way.

Learn more about the Working Group

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