New leadership team for Messe Muenchen Shanghai
A fresh start for Messe Muenchen Shanghai Co., Ltd.: Xu Jia is to be the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and General Manager of Messe Muenchen Shanghai. Together with Deputy General Manager Stephen Lu as Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Deputy General Manager Candace Hua as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Xu Jia will form the Management Board of Messe Muenchen Shanghai, responsible for the organization and execution of trade fairs in China. Beyond their functional roles, all of the management board members will be in charge of operational business areas.
“With the new setup we will be able to continue driving the growth in China. The potential in southern and western China especially should be more strongly developed,” explained Klaus Dittrich, the Chairman and CEO of Messe München GmbH and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Messe Muenchen Shanghai Co., Ltd.
Xu will be responsible for the capital goods trade fairs. Additionally, she will also take care of corporate marketing and communication, HR, administration and operations as well as outbound business. She has more than ten years of experience in the Chinese trade fair business. Among various roles, Xu was the Group Project Director and Deputy Managing Director of Messe Muenchen Shanghai. She has been Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Messe Muenchen Shanghai since 2013.
As the new COO, Lu will also be responsible for new technologies, product marketing and communication, business development and M&A, as well as collaboration with IMAG. Until recently he was the Group Project Director of Messe Muenchen Shanghai.
Hua will start as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Messe Muenchen Shanghai on October 1. She is an internationally well-rounded manager with previous experience as CFO in China and France. Most recently, the U.S. American was the Financial Director for Risk, Compliance & Commercial Lending for the Boston-based technology company FIS (previously known as Sunguard). She brings with her a wealth of commercial know-how, which will strengthen the further growth of Messe Muenchen Shanghai. Hua will be responsible for consumer goods as well as finance, controlling and procurement, legal and compliance, IT, and the branch offices in Beijing and Shenzhen.
“We are excited that Messe Muenchen Shanghai will be led by this competent team. Xu Jia and Stephen Lu have been in the company for more than 15 years and have an high-level of internal understanding. With Candace Hua, we are gaining valuable external specialist knowledge. Together they understand the Chinese market exceptionally and are best prepared to drive the growth of Messe Muenchen Shanghai,” stated Dittrich.
The new CEO Xu has taken over from Edwin Tan, who left the company on July 31 under mutual agreement, due to differing views on the future strategic goals. “In the name of the management, I would like to thank Edwin Tan for his contributions to Messe Muenchen Shanghai as CEO over the past two and a half years. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors,” said Dittrich.
