The institution hosted around thirty shows and congresses during the first six months
Fira de Barcelona’s General Board approves the renewal of the President’s and various councillors’ terms
Fira de Barcelona’s General Board has today approved the renewal of the term of office of the President of the Governing Board, Josep Lluís Bonet, and of three other councillors as well as the incorporation of a new member. The Barcelona trade fair’s Board also assessed management in 2012 and the important activity carried out during the first six months of this year: 29 shows and congresses and a large number of corporate activities.
The Council, made up of representatives from the Catalan Generalitat, the Barcelona City Council and the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, has approved the renewal of the term of office of Josep Lluís Bonet, President of Freixenet, as councillor and President of the Fira de Barcelona’s Governing Board and of the councillors Enrique Lacalle (Barcelona Meeting Point), Enric Crous (Damm) and Nuria Basi (Basi), who had come to the end of the maximum period established in the institution’s statutes. The meeting of the General Board that, according to the statutes, is responsible for approving the appointments of the Governing Board is the first to be held since the plenary session in January proposed this renewal as is mandatory.
The maximum organ of the trade fair institution has also approved the incorporation into the Governing Board of Carles Vilarrubí (Rothschild España and Willis C), to replace Bruno Figueras (Habitat), who left the position at the start of 2012. With this appointment, Fira’s Board will have nine members, the maximum provided for in the statutes. In addition to the above, the other members are Jordi Clos (Derby Hoteles), Pedro Fontana (Áreas), Luis Conde (Seeliger & Conde) and Miquel Martí (Moventia & FemCat).
Innovation and major events
The General Board has also approved management of Fira during 2012 that, despite the difficult economic climate, closed the year with revenues of over 115 million Euros ¿a 0.4% increase over 2011 and 13% over 2010, comparable year in terms of the trade fair calendar- and an EBITDA of 11.1 million, the same as the previous year. Fira hosted 60 shows and events geared towards internationalisation, economic sectors and knowledge.
The Mayor of Barcelona and President of the General Board, Xavier Trias, said “Fira is a powerful engine for the city’s economy, whose role in such a complex situation such as the present one should be valued”. In this sense, the President of the Governing Board, Josep Lluís Bonet, reiterated “the institution’s commitment to internationalisation, innovation and attracting events that create added value and help generate synergies with Catalan and Spanish companies”
In 2013, there has also been intense activity, as is demonstrated by the 29 trade shows and congresses, 40 corporate events and over 250 acts held within the shows, held in the first six months. The list of events already held includes Mobile World Congress, which took place for the first time in Gran Via, Sonimagfoto, Graphispag, Motor Show, Construmat, Tourism, Bridal Week, Carbon Expo, Bizbarcelona and MIHealth, as well as Piscina Moscow and the presence of a representation from Hostelco in Hotelex, Shanghai, both part of the institution’s internationalisation strategy.
In the second half of the year, Fira will host the Boat Show, Seafood Barcelona, the Swimming Pool Show, Barcelona Meeting Point, Phamaprocess, Smart City Expo, BcnRail and EIBTM, as well as the participation of the Swimming Pool Show in Expolazer, Sao Paulo.
New events and congresses
During these six months, Fira de Barcelona’ trade fair calendar will include events that respond to new social and business needs. The Swimming Pool Show, one of the most international events in this speciality, will provide the setting for Body Life Barcelona, dedicated to professional fitness. Another of the new events will be Pharmaprocess, innovation forum for the pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical and life sciences industries.
Coinciding with the leading Smart City Expo, will be EVS27, the world’s most important electric vehicle symposium and trade fair that was held last year in Los Angeles.
As part of the strategy to increase the number of medical and technological events, Fira will also host important events, such as the congresses of the European Respiratory Society, the European Association of the Study of Diabetes, the Southern Europe Veterinarians and of the technological companies VMWare and Hewlett Packard, which will be added to the list of those that were held in the first part of the year, such as the congresses of the German multinational SAP and the European Neurology Society and the International Conference on Head and Neck Oncology (ICHNO), among others.
Barcelona, 10th July 2013