The Art of Business Transformation and Definition of Success in Messe Frankfurt

By: Samar Yahya
Frankfurt -Asdaf News:

During the opening day of Ambiente, Christmasworld, and Creativeworld 2026, in an interview with Julia Uherek, Vice President of Consumer Goods Fairs, Messe Frankfurt, spoke to Asdaf News on Messe Frankfurt Saudi Arabia’s new subsidiary and the strategic frontier for growth, the extended socio-economic impact of Messe Frankfurt, the “Talet” program of empowering the next generation, and the definition of success.

On the extended socio-economic impact of Messe Frankfurt and its reported annual economic contribution of approximately €3.7 billion for Germany, €2.1 billion of which remains in the Frankfurt region, Uherek explained that being a trade show organizer involves much more than simply managing an event; it is about generating significant economic ripple effects. In the Frankfurt region alone, the impact is profound. The lifecycle of a trade fair supports an entire ecosystem—from the craftsmen and technicians who handle booth construction to the hospitality sector, including hotels, restaurants, and transportation services. Historically, the State of Hessen recognized this potential post-WWII as a primary driver of regional prosperity, and today, this model is being applied globally. Beyond the direct financial injection, these events serve as a powerful marketing tool for the host city. When international business travelers have a positive experience, they often return for leisure or recommend the destination to their networks.

Saudi Arabia: A Strategic Frontier for Growth
Uherek highlighted that Messe Frankfurt’s new subsidiary in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is a strategic imperative that creates similar tailwinds for the local economy. According to Messe Frankfurt’s strategy, any region, including Saudi Arabia, focuses on two pillars; Production Capacity and Market Demand. In terms of production and growth, Saudi Arabia is diversifying its economy beyond oil. As they scale local production, Messe Frankfurt, identifies which of its portfolio segments align with their output. This allows Saudi manufacturers to use Messe Frankfurt platforms—like Ambiente, Christmasworld, and Creativeworld— to access international supply chains, while providing Saudi manufacturers a premier stage to export their local production to the global market.

On Market and Demand, and according to Uherek The surging demand across multiple market segments has catalyzed significant interest from international manufacturers, for whom a presence in the Saudi Arabian market is now a strategic imperative. Saudi consumers are increasingly gravitating toward sophisticated, designer goods for home, kitchen, and seasonal décor. To facilitate this growth, the current strategy focuses on a dual-pathway approach: bringing Saudi retailers to global platforms like Ambiente, Christmasworld, and Creativeworld in Frankfurt to access international supply chains, while providing Saudi manufacturers a premier stage to export their local production to the global market. Concurrently, Messe Frankfurt has launched Beautyworld in Saudi Arabia due to the established local production and high demand in the retail and salon sectors. The current role of Messe Frankfurt Saudi Arabia is delivering a global leading exhibition experience and support to Saudi customers and developers.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is rapidly transforming into a global economic hub under Vision 2030, catalyzed by the unprecedented expansion in the hospitality, design, and contract business sectors. With aprojected pipeline of 300,000 new hotel rooms by 2030, alongside a surge in serviced apartments and catering developments, the strategic focus has pivoted toward ‘Ambiente Projects’, emphasizing high-specification, professional-grade goods that directly mirror the high standards and rapid infrastructure evolution currently defining the Saudi Arabian professional and luxury landscape.

Empowering the Next Generation: The Talents Program
On the role of “Talents” program, Uherek said that this year corresponds with the 25th anniversary of the program, which is designed exactly for the reaching of talented creatives and designers. “Talents” program collaborates with international design institutions to scout for “unseen” concepts, looking for innovation in materials and cultural heritage, and not looking for mass-market products.

Uherek noted that young Saudi designersare encouraged to blend their unique cultural motifs and traditional handicrafts with contemporary international aesthetics. By providing them a stage in Frankfurt, they are connecting with global industry players, intending to facilitate partnerships where a manufacturer might adopt a young designer’s concept for global distribution.

On how MesseFrankfurt integrates Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles, Uherek explained how the program is a curated directory of exhibitors who meet rigorous sustainability criteria, audited by an independent jury of experts. Interestingly, there is a high volume of successful entries from Asia, Africa, and India. These exhibitors often utilize traditional, low-pollution handicraft methods and innovative natural materials. Messe Frankfurt evaluates the social component of (ESG), while European labor standards are high, the program’s jury looks for manufacturers in emerging markets that are significantly outperforming regional benchmarks. By highlighting these “ESG” leaders, the entire supply chain is incentivized to adopt more sustainable and humane production practices.

Defining Success and Looking Toward 2027
In addition to the standard KPIs, exhibitor numbers, visitors, and the square footage where visitors have to walk 42 kilometers – a literal marathon –  the 28 hall levels to visit every exhibitor, to measure the success of the Editions of Mess Frankfurt exhibitions, Uherek commented that a deeper measure of success is inspiration and ROI. If a participant finds one transformative business contact or a new perspective on their industry, then we have succeeded.

Looking toward 2027, Uherek confirmed that the whole Messe Frankfurt team will continue to pivot toward the Contract Business and Hospitality sectors. While retail remains the main foundation, the growth potential lies in connecting business owners with interior designers, architects, and hospitality directly with 4,600+ international exhibitors, from 170 countries, Uherek concluded.