Gathering on May 10, 2024, the Shareholders’ Meeting of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, presided over by the chairman, Mayor Dr. Stephan Keller, appointed Marius Berlemann (38) as the operative managing director. With that, the Shareholders’ Meeting followed the recommendation of the Supervisory Board of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH. When he takes on this new role on August 1, Marius Berlemann will succeed Erhard Wienkamp (65), who will retire at the end of July 2024.
Düsseldorf, May 10, 2024. As operative managing director, Marius Berlemann will, until further notice, take over Erhard Wienkamp’s areas and projects at the homebase Düsseldorf and worldwide: the Plastics and Rubber portfolio with the world’s leading trade show K; the Health and Medical Technologies portfolio (leading trade show MEDICA, COMPAMED); the Beauty and Rehacare portfolio (BEAUTY DÜSSELDORF, TOP HAIR and REHACARE International); the Caravaning and Outdoor portfolio (CARAVAN SALON DÜSSELDORF); the Wine and Spirits portfolio with the ProWein show; the Print Technologies portfolio with the world’s leading trade show drupa. He’ll also be responsible for the Retail and Retail Technologies portfolio (EuroShop and EuroCIS) and the Occupational Safety and Health/Glass Technologies portfolio (A+A and glasstec. He'll also oversee the Corporate Social Responsibility department and two of Messe Düsseldorf’s three sales teams. In addition, Marius Berlemann will be responsible for the departments International Participations & Services, Special Events, which includes the German venues for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Conference Management and International Business.
"We are delighted that the Supervisory Board has followed the proposal of the finding committee by appointing Marius Berlemann as operative managing director. Our aim with this decision is to facilitate a smooth handover of business, thus ensuring continuity and safeguarding the quality and further development of our operative business," says Wolfram N. Diener, President & CEO of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, adding that he has known Berlemann for many years and pointing out his excellent industry expertise, especially in the growth market of Asia; his broad management experience and his international trade show wins. This, according to Diener, creates ideal conditions for the further development of Messe Düsseldorf's close-to-the-customer product portfolio in Germany and abroad and for a strengthening of the Düsseldorf economic location.
Marius Berlemann has been working at Messe Düsseldorf GmbH for over 13 years. In 2011, he started his career there with a traineeship. Subsequently, he served as senior project manager of ProWein where he was already involved in the internationalization of this event and looked after key accounts. In 2013, he was posted to Messe Düsseldorf Shanghai to organize the first ProWine China as project director. He returned to Düsseldorf in 2014, where he served as the project director of ProWein and global head of Wine & Spirits until 2019. Berlemann then returned to Messe Düsseldorf Shanghai, where as general manager he has since been responsible for 63 employees and twelve international trade shows. In addition, he added the role of managing director of Messe Düsseldorf China, which in 2023 he led to its most successful fiscal year since its founding. On top of that, Berlemann currently manages the new regional hub Messe Düsseldorf for Asia (MDfA) in Singapore, which was founded in April 2024, making him responsible for Messe Düsseldorf’s entire Asian business.
Says Mayor Dr. Stephan Keller, “The Supervisory Board and the shareholders agreed that Marius Berlemann is the ideal successor to Erhard Wienkamp, both personally and professionally. He stands for a clear operative strategy and the clear international positioning of Messe Düsseldorf's trade show portfolio." It's certain, Keller adds, that Berlemann, together with the top-notch trade show team, will use his extensive expertise to maintain the city subsidiary’s optimal positioning in the international trade show business going forward while further expanding its operative business.
