UFI announces winners of 2025 Next Generation Leadership Grant

PARIS, FRANCE – UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, announce the recipients of its 2025 Next Generation Leadership (NGL) grant. This year’s grantees were chosen from a highly competitive pool of applicants by an esteemed panel of international judges chaired by UFI President Hugh Jones.

Now in its ninth edition, the NGL grant aims to recognise and support emerging talent within the exhibition industry. Eligible candidates must have fewer than ten years of industry experience and demonstrate a strong commitment to driving innovation and positive change in their respective fields.

Sponsored by Clarion Events, dmg events, Informa Markets, and RX, the programme offers recipients mentorship and guidance from global industry leaders, making it the exhibition industry’s leading talent accelerator initiative.

The 2025 NGL grant winners are:

• Anida D’Costa – Senior Conference Producer, Informa Markets (UAE)
• Diana Maria Salman – Senior Sales Manager, FEXPOCRUZ (Bolivia)
• Ilaria Basile – Event Operations Manager, Clarion Events (UK)
• Sarah Jung – Sales Manager, Messe München (Germany)
• Taher Hakami – Riyadh Business Events Manager, SCEGA (Saudi Arabia)

The 2025 NGL mission centres on redefining exhibition formats in response to the evolving needs of audiences, exhibitors, and organisers. Throughout the programme, the NGL grantees will discover and develop bold, forward-thinking approaches that challenge traditional event structures.

The Jury:

The jury was chaired by Hugh Jones – UFI President and CEO of RX – and included:

• Celia Hidalgo Calvo – Digital Strategist, IFEMA Madrid (Spain)
• Hala Dean – VP, Organisational Learning & Development, Clarion Events (USA)
• Sean Ongers – Head of Global Learning & Performance, Informa Markets (UK)
• Beatrice Vedovato – HR Recruitment Specialist, Italian Exhibition Group (Italy)
• Fanny Chavaux – Chief People Officer, GL Events (France)
• Premila Braganza – Vice President – HR, dmg events (UAE)
• Chris Skeith OBE – CEO & Managing Director, UFI (UK)

“The UFI Next Generation Leadership grant continues to shine a spotlight on bold ideas and the emerging talent shaping the future of our industry. I extend my warmest congratulations to this year’s recipients. Your drive, creativity, and dedication to pushing boundaries are truly inspiring and reflect the dynamic, ever-evolving spirit of the exhibition industry. I look forward to witnessing the meaningful impact your work will have in the years to come,” commented UFI President Hugh Jones.

Awardees will begin their journey with an in-person workshop in June during the UFI European Events Week in Thessaloniki, Greece. Over the following seven months, they will collaborate online to further develop their project. The programme will conclude with a group presentation at the 92nd UFI Global Congress in Hong Kong SAR, offering a global platform to share their insights, ideas, and vision for the future of the industry.

UFI congratulates the recipients of the 2025 Next Generation Leadership grant and looks forward to supporting them as they embark on this exciting journey.

The article UFI announces winners of 2025 Next Generation Leadership Grant first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.