Messe Düsseldorf sets operational course for global growth offensive
The global expansion of Messe Düsseldorf is gaining momentum. In order to intensify its international activities, the trade fair company has created the new "Global Corporate Development and Strategy" division. From 2025, this will be headed by Claire Steinbrück (42), who will join the management of Messe Düsseldorf and report directly to the Chairman of the Management Board, Wolfram N. Diener. With this step, Messe Düsseldorf is also anchoring the increased importance of the topic organisationally and is expanding the human resources in top management for this purpose.
Messe Düsseldorf is expanding its management team to include an experienced leader in the international trade fair business: Claire Steinbrück (42) is moving from Koelnmesse GmbH to Messe Düsseldorf GmbH. From mid-2025, Steinbrück will head the new "Global Corporate Development and Strategy" division, which is intended to provide strategically important impetus for the future international orientation of Messe Düsseldorf. Alongside Petra Cullmann, Steinbrück is the second woman at the divisional management level in the company. "With Claire Steinbrück, we are gaining a proven expert in the international trade fair industry. Her strategic expertise and global perspective will make a decisive contribution to further driving forward the internationalisation of Messe Düsseldorf and strengthening our position in the dynamic competition on the global markets," explains Wolfram N. Diener, Chairman of the Management Board of Messe Düsseldorf.
Messe Düsseldorf is pushing ahead with its internationalisation course
In her new role, Steinbrück is to expand Messe Düsseldorf's global network in such a way that structures and organisation enable the consistent continuation of global business development. The aim is to further develop Messe Düsseldorf's international product portfolio close to the customer and thus strengthen Düsseldorf as a location in the long term. In 2023, the vast majority of exhibiting companies in the NRW state capital (78 percent) came from abroad, while on the visitor side, more than a third (39 percent) did. Steinbrück is looking forward to her new role: "Messe Düsseldorf is one of the most successful trade fair companies in the world. In order to continue to be successful in international competition, we will strengthen the global network, open up new markets and develop innovative formats. I am delighted to be able to play an active role in shaping the future of Messe Düsseldorf."
A lot of experience in the trade fair industry
Steinbrück has held management positions in the trade fair industry for more than ten years. After working for Messe Frankfurt in Mexico and Argentina, she moved to Messe Frankfurt Exhibition GmbH in 2008. There she worked as a project manager in the area of innovation management until December 2012. Steinbrück was then appointed deputy director of the German Pavilion at EXPO Milano 2015. In 2016 she moved from Messe Frankfurt to Koelnmesse GmbH. Steinbrück held several positions there until November 2024. Most recently, as Head of Trade Fair Management, she was responsible for the strategic and conceptual responsibility of Koelnmesse's global food technology trade fair portfolio. In the future, Steinbrück will use her broad industry knowledge to position Messe Düsseldorf optimally on the international markets.
Strategic direction with foresight
Messe Düsseldorf has gradually driven its growth in recent years and invested in particular in its new international business. This includes 29 new foreign events since 2023, the merger of the five Asian subsidiaries in the new "Messe Düsseldorf for Asia" (MDfA) network and the 50 percent stake in the "Hannover Messe Ankiros Fuarcılık AS" joint venture in Ankara. This development is reflected in the new "Global Corporate Development and Strategy" division, which includes the "Business Development" departments (including the "New Product Development", "Market Research" and "Partner and Guest Events" groups), "Sales Development", "International Business" and the newly planned "Corporate Development" staff unit. Wolfram N. Diener emphasises: "With the competencies brought together in the new corporate division under the leadership of Claire Steinbrück, we are creating the basis for opening up international markets even more specifically, responding more quickly to global trends and growing sustainably."
Source & Image Credit: Messe Düsseldorf Group