Unanimous result
Entrepreneur Charlotte Finger new member of the Board of Directors
Giesser, Kaeser, Kuhrt, Marzin, Müller, Ottmann, Pfeiffer re-elected
Berlin, 25 June 2025 | The General Assembly of the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry AUMA voted for a novelty this Tuesday in Berlin: AUMA Chairman, Philip Harting (50), has been elected for a third term of three years. Harting has been Chairman of the leading industry association since 2019. This followed the request of the entire Board of Directors and members at last year's General Assembly to allow for a further term of office after Harting was only able to serve one term during full trade fair operations due to the pandemic. The election by the 67 members was unanimous. Harting takes up his third term of office today.
- Philip Harting, Chairman of the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry AUMA: "I am immensely honoured by the trust placed in me by AUMA members. In my coming term of office, I also want to strengthen Germany as the number one trade fair country wherever I can. We have a strong reputation to defend worldwide, but here in Germany we must do even more to ensure that the jewel that is Germany as a trade fair venue is recognised as a treasure."
Charlotte Finger (37), who represents the trade fair-orientated Association for the machinery and equipment manufacturing industry (VDMA), was also newly elected to the AUMA Board of Directors. Her main job is Managing Partner of Maschinenfabrik Mönninghoff GmbH & Co KG in Bochum and Chemnitzer Zahnradfabrik GmbH & Co KG in Chemnitz. Both companies are leading technology partners in the field of propulsion technology and they develop and manufacture customised solutions for a wide range of industries.
Hermann Giesser (IVSH and Managing Director of Johannes Giesser Messerfabrik GmbH), Thomas Kaeser (VDMA and Chairman of Kaeser Kompressoren SE), Oliver P. Kuhrt (Managing Director of Messe Essen GmbH), Wolfgang Marzin (Chairman of the Management Board of Messe Frankfurt GmbH), Andreas Müller (ZVEI and Managing Partner of Doepke Schaltgeräte GmbH), Peter Ottmann (CEO of NürnbergMesse GmbH), Dr Reinhard Pfeiffer (Managing Director of Messe München GmbH) were also re-elected to the Board of Directors.
The board of directors of the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry AUMA consists of up to 22 honorary members. It is made up of representatives from industry, trade and commerce as well as trade fair organisers. The Chairman is elected by the General Assembly. The Board as a whole elects two deputy chairpersons from among its members. The AUMA Chairman and his second deputy (currently Klaus Kremers, Paradies GmbH, Neukirchen-Vluyn) have to belong to the exhibiting industry, the first deputy (currently Peter Ottmann, NürnbergMesse) has to belong to an exhibition organisation. All persons are elected to the honorary office for three years.
AUMA is the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry (Ausstellungs- und Messe-Ausschuss der Deutschen Wirtschaft e.V.), the umbrella organisation of the German trade fair industry. Both nationally and internationally, it represents the interests of all large and medium-sized trade fair companies in Germany, international organisers in Germany and the associations representing exhibitors, service companies and visitors.
More than 230,000 jobs are secured by trade fairs in Germany. No fewer than 70 exhibition centres between the North Sea and Lake Constance make Germany a unique trade fair destination worldwide. Two thirds of all leading trade fairs in the global economy take place here. At peak times, international, national and regional trade fairs in Germany attract over 235,000 exhibiting companies and 16 million visitors. On average, 60 per cent of exhibitors and 35 per cent of trade visitors at all leading trade fairs come from abroad.
