Xabier Basañez Llantada, General Director of Bilbao Exhibition Centre, has been re-elected as a member of the Board of Directors of UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry. Basañez will start on 10 November, at the UFI General Assembly, which will take place during the organisation’s 87th Global Congress. According to the articles of association, he will hold this position for three years.

Currently more than 800 trade show organisers and representatives from 83 countries are members of UFI. This international non-profit association aims to represent the global trade show industry while ensuring quality standards are met at activities organised by members, a quality guarantee both for visitors and for exhibitors. BEC has been a member since 1963.

As well as being a member of the UFI Board of Directors since 2013, Xabier Basañez is the Chairman of the Spanish Trade Fair Association (AFE). These roles attest to his commitment to the development of the exhibition and congress sector on different levels.

“It is an honour, but also a great responsibility, to represent the trade show sector on the UFI Board of Directors in these tough times. It is precisely now more important than ever to work together at UFI and with other trade show associations, in order to look for a way out of this situation as soon as possible, to return to the ‘old normal’ and meet face to face once again,” admits Xabier Basañez.