VNU Exhibitions to cooperate with veterinary association

News this week: VNU Exhibitions Asia Pacific, a joint venture between VNU Exhibitions Europe and the TCC Exhibition & Convention Centre, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Federation of Asian Veterinary Associations (FAVA) to improve content and management of livestock industry trade fairs.

Under the terms of the MOU, VNU Exhibitions will support FAVA with scholarship programmes in Southeast Asia, South Asia and China. FAVA will support knowledge sharing and analysis of new trends at industry trade fairs including VIV Asia in Thailand and ILDEX Exhibitions in Myanmar, Vietnam, Indonesia and Cambodia over the coming three years.

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VNU sets-up joint venture in Thailand

News this week: VNU Exhibitions Europe and TTC Exhibition & Convention Center have agreed to establish a joint venture. The new company, VNU Exhibitions Asia Pacific, will be based in Bangkok.

VNU Exhibitions Asia Pacific will focus on the development of B2B exhibitions in South East Asia covering the agri-food, water & energy, sustainable building & construction and laboratory equipment industry sectors. The company will look for growth through new event launches, cooperating with third parties and acquisitions in the ASEAN region.

The current partnership between the two companies, VIV Asia, Ildex Vietnam and VIV/Ildex India, will continue, with VNU Exhibitions Asia Pacific taking over the role of TCC. The new company will head by managing director, Gerard Leeuwenburgh and general manager, Ladda Mongkolchavivit.

This post is excerpted from BSG's weekly e-newsletter which is part of our subscription research service, BSG Tracker. Visit our website to find out more about this service. You can also follow us on Twitter for all the latest updates.

I sold my old gold commode

I was going to restrict myself to one post a day (I know - it's been more like one a month the last few weeks), but couldn't resist this one. The heading comes from one of the comments to a Wall Street Journal blog piece on the name change at my friend David Zhong's Millionaire Fair in Shanghai. That event, franchised from its Dutch founders, is now to be known as "The Fair".

I think that's quite cool. According to the China Journal "its focus will shift from the extravagant luxury goods and lavish parties of yore to a more modest sounding “roundtable on China’s well-being and charity.”

News from China

I was going to try to blog from the ad:tech conference in Beijing. Running around all day today, I only managed to make it to the session in which I was speaking, so I would direct you to Thomas Crampton who is blogging feverishly and fully on the proceedings here. Great job!

Meanwhile, my friends at VNU Exhibitions Asia have announced the return of Michiel Kruse as Director International Business Development. He was with the company in Shanghai from 2000 - 2005 before branching out to launch his own golf show. CEO David Zhong says "In his new role Kruse will focus on the relations with international customers, partners, agents and media and on further expansion of international activities" and proclaims himself "thrilled" that Kruse has returned.

The Chairman of VNU Exhibitions Asia, Jimé Essink will be heading off to take up the reins at CMP Asia on 1st November.

Thanks, by the way, to the ad:tech organisers. I won an iPod in their lucky draw at the reception this evening. In the words of the late, great Frankie Howard, my flabber has never been so gasted.

Update: B2B panel chairman, Eddie Choi, has also blogged on the conference today. There's even a photo of our session. Thanks guys, you're all making this very easy for me: 3 sentences and a link. That's lazy man's blogging.

And more: Marketing in the age of Multitasking.

Goodbye VNU!

My crystal ball must have been well polished this week. Chatting in Shanghai this week, I asked a former colleague if he thought the VNU name had any value in the US. He thought it did. I suggested that I thought they'd find Nielsen the more valuable brand. Obviously the US management agreed as we see from this announcement via TradeShowWeek:

VNU has changed its name to the Nielsen Company effective today. Divisions that include exhibitions will be renamed Nielsen Business Media (in the United States), Nielsen Exhibitions Asia and Nielsen Exhibitions Europe. The new name comes from two of the company's well-known assets, ACNielsen and Nielsen Media Research.

New CEO for VNU in Shanghai

News from the Netherlands that Jimé Essink is to step into the CEO position for VNU Exhibtions Asia. We understand that Jimé will be based in Shanghai. He is currently Chairman of that business and will give us his executive duties in Europe to take up the new role.