MEDICA is the largest medical trade show in the world, and every year it offers something a little bit different to attendees from around the world.
HealthCare Business News sat down with Wolfram Diener, managing director of Messe Dusseldorf, to discuss what visitors could expect this year, and the unique role of Messe Dusseldorf in global industry events.
HCB News: You took over the position of managing director of Messe Düsseldorf from Joachim Schaefer a little over a year ago. What are the biggest insights you have gained in your first year?
Wolfram Diener: I was impressed by how thematically diverse Messe Düsseldorf is positioned and how well networked it is internationally. The project teams for the organization and marketing of our trade fairs are all also highly experienced and technically competent. This provides a good basis for responding quickly to market changes when necessary. It was helpful, for example, when taking over the dentistry trade fair ‘FAMDENT Shows’ in India and, more recently, when founding MEDICAL FAIR BRASIL as a new leading event for the Brazilian market. We are cooperating in this area with the manufacturer association ABIMO.
HCB News: Our readers are familiar with Messe Düsseldorf due to the MEDICA, but the venue is used by a wide range of industries throughout the entire year. Is it a challenge to stay informed about so many different sectors?
WD: You can look at it as more than just a challenge. Cross-industry activity like this offers a great deal of variety, and the work can also be a valuable source of inspiration. For example, if certain event formats and concepts are well received by one particular industry, they can be adapted successfully for trade fairs of other industries. The MEDICA START-UP PARK is an example of this. For the past three years, it has provided the young, digitally-driven startup scene with an optimal platform for establishing contact with potential investors and business partners all over the world, and for presenting itself to the international trade public at MEDICA, the world’s largest medical trade fair. The format has been so well received that we are now implementing it at other events in Germany and abroad. In order to stay up-to-date on the latest trends, we are of course talking to our customers and reading various trade media. A daily media report in our company ensures that our project teams are always well informed about significant industry developments, important people and media reports on our trade fairs and on those of our competitors.
