German trade fair group Messe Düsseldorf has signalled its intention to intensify its international activities with the establishment of a new corporate division, ‘Global Corporate Development and Strategy’. Claire Steinbrück will lead the new division from the New Year and joins the management board of Messe Düsseldorf reporting directly to the president and CEO, Wolfram N. Diener.
Steinbrück is an experienced leader in the international trade fair business and joins from Koelnmesse GmbH.
“With Claire Steinbrück, we are gaining a proven expert in the international trade fair sector. Her strategic expertise and global perspective will play a pivotal role in further advancing Messe Düsseldorf’s internationalisation and strengthening our position in the competitive global markets,” said Diener.
In her new role, Steinbrück will look to expand Messe Düsseldorf’s global network, strengthening it as a leading global trade fair hub.
In 2023, 78% of exhibitors in the capital of the German federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia came from abroad, and over one-third (39%) of visitors were international. “Messe Düsseldorf is one of the most successful trade fair companies in the world. To remain competitive internationally, we will strengthen its global network, explore new markets, and develop innovative formats. I am excited to help shape the future of Messe Düsseldorf actively,” she said.
Steinbrück has held leadership positions in the trade fair sector for over ten years. After working for Messe Frankfurt in Mexico and Argentina, she joined Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH in 2008. She deputy director of the German Pavilion at EXPO Milano 2015. In 2016, Steinbrück moved from Messe Frankfurt to Koelnmesse GmbH, where she held several positions until November 2024. Most recently, she served as divisional director for trade fair management, responsible for the strategic and conceptual oversight of Koelnmesse’s global food technology trade fair portfolio.
In recent years, Messe Düsseldorf has invested significantly in international business development. Key initiatives include 29 new international events since 2023, the integration of five Asian subsidiaries under the newly formed ‘Messe Düsseldorf for Asia’ network (MDfA), and a 50% stake in the joint venture Hannover Messe Ankiros Fuarcılık A.S. in Ankara.
The new Global Corporate Development and Strategy will consolidate many existing competencies under Steinbrück’s leadership with the goal of responding more quickly to global trends, and achieve sustainable growt, according to Diener.
Messe Düsseldorf hosts around 40 trade fairs including 20 leading international trade fairs annually. The main sectors of expertise include: Machinery, Plants and Equipment, including metallurgy and foundry technologies (inter alia drupa, K, interpack, glasstec, wire and Tube); Retail, Trades and Services (EuroShop, EuroCIS, ProWein); Health and Medical Technology (MEDICA, COMPAMED, REHACARE, A+A); Lifestyle and Beauty (BEAUTY, TOP HAIR); Leisure (boot, CARAVAN SALON), as well as Mobility” (XPONENTIAL, Flotte!). Messe Düsseldorf organises more than 70 events. The global network of the group of companies encompasses 77 foreign representatives for 142 countries.
Photo: Claire Steinbrück. Credit: Hanne Engwald
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