About UBM Live

Operating internationally, UBM Live operates a number of market leading exhibitions, awards, websites/online products and publications in twenty different business sectors.

Our brands include CPhI, IFSEC, Food Ingredients. Cruise Shipping Miami, Technology for Marketing and Advertising, International Confex, Informex and many more.

With offices in the UK, Netherlands, USA, UAE and Brazil, UBM Live has successfully geo-cloned its leading CPhI, Food Ingredients, TFM&A and IFSEC brands into territories such as China, Japan, Asia, Eastern Europe, South America and Africa.

As well as building relationships with our customers, we help wider communities through our corporate responsibility programme.

UBM Live is part of UBM Ltd, a leading global media company listed on the London Stock Exchange, which in 2009 generated revenues of £847m, with profits of £171.2m.

The Management Team

Simon Foster - CEO

As CEO of UBM Live, Simon Foster is responsible for the exhibitions and events that run outside the UK, as well as UBM offices and exhibition businesses in North and South America, Europe, and the Middle East. This includes offices in Sao Paulo, New York and New Jersey, Amsterdam and Abu Dhabi and the global network of the world leading trade show brands including CPhI and Food Ingredients Informex, Cruise Shipping, Intermodal and Health and Beauty. The business has events that run in all parts of the globe, including China, North America, Brazil, Africa and Europe.

UBM Live also includes publications, awards and conferences and on-line developments, and Simon has responsibility for the European Awards business and UBM Conferences. Simon was appointed Managing Director and to the Board in March 2006 and is based in Holland. He became CEO of International Media in July 2008, which merged with UBM Live in July 2010.

Simon has previously been the Managing Director of International Media and General Manager and Group Director of the Ingredients Division, which he took over in September 2003. Prior to that, he managed many of CMPi's leading magazines and events including IFSEC, the International Security Show; the fire safety shows; the Association of Chief Police Officers conference; and the National Franchise Exhibition.

A qualified and registered marketer, Simon has been with various parts of the business since 1998, and has held many positions from Marketing Manager to Group Director. He joined from a partner organisation of CMP, after a broad ranging career in marketing, sales and PR.

Simon now lives just outside Amsterdam where he has been based for the last 6 years.

Matthew Dirs - Divisional Financial Controller

Matt Dirs joined UBM Live in 2007. The core business is face to face B2B events operating in Europe, Asia, Middle East, North America and South America although the business continues to develop its online products. Whilst based in Amsterdam he is also responsible for the UBM Live regional offices in New York, Sao Paulo and Abu Dhabi.

Matt joined UBM in their UK-based Built Environment business in 2006. Previously he was Financial Controller at Dennis Publishing, the consumer lifestyle publishing company which included the men's lifestyle title Maxim as well as The Week.

He qualified as a chartered management accountant in 1998 whilst at Dennis Publishing where he started his career in 1995, following his graduation from University of Portsmouth where he read Business Studies.

Eliane Van Doorn - Group Director, Pharma Portfolio

Eliane van Doorn is Group Director Pharma Portfolio of UBM Live. She is directing the growth and development of the CPhI, ICSE, BioPh and P-MEC brands, heading a strong international management, marketing, operations and sales team since March 2007. The brands include trade exhibitions and conferences in Europe, China, India, Japan and South America and the ‘wherepharmameets.com' on-line platform.

With over 20 years' experience in the conference and exhibition sector, Eliane joined UBM in August 2001 as Group Director for the Food Ingredients portfolio, embracing nine events and associated publications across Eastern and Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa and South America.

Michael Kazakoff - VP Cruise Shipping Portfolio

Michael Kazakoff joined Hong Kong Trade Fair Group, a publishing and event organizing company in 1983, as sales and business development manager based in the United Kingdom.

In 1988, Mike moved to the United States and was named vice president with the overall responsibility for the business development and operations for Hong Kong Trade Fair Group's subsidiary, Seatrade North America Inc. In 1992, Seatrade North America Inc was acquired by United Newspapers Ltd (UBM) and Kazakoff was named president of Miller Freeman Princeton, Inc.

Mike is a member of the UBM Live Board and his extensive business experience includes trade publishing, exhibitions and conferences such as Naftiliaki and Seatrade Review magazines, Cruise Shipping Miami, International Superyacht Symposium, Panamerican Leather Fair, Si - Source International and affiliations with China International Boat Show, Marintec China, Tissue World Americas and Posidonia the Greek Shipping Expo.

He has worked closely with various trade associations and charities including International Association Exhibition and Events, Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association, Cruise Lines International Association, North West Cruise Ship Association, United States Superyacht Association, National Sound Contractors Association, Cruise Industry Charitable Foundation and the FCCA Foundation for the Caribbean. Kazakoff is also affiliated with the Princeton Chamber of Commerce.

Jonathan Lacey - Financial Controller

An ACCA qualified accountant, Jonathan gained his qualification while working with The Economist in 2001 before joining CMPi in 2003 as Management Accountant for the IT & Games portfolio of products. This role quickly expanded into looking after the Travel group. Jonathan became Finance Manager for the Property Group in 2006 working alongside the Managing Director and subsequently Financial Controller for the Live Media division of CMPi in 2007 and the now UBM Live division. During this time he has led the finance integration of the acquisitions of Quest Media, Ithaca, Decorex, Energy Solutions and Sleep/Arc. Jonathan also has board responsibility for the Human Resources function of the division.

Simon Parker - Group Director, Venues, Protection and Leisure

Having worked in the exhibition industry for 20 years, Simon began his career selling ad space on Outdoor Action at Haymarket Publishing. He worked at Montgomery Exhibitions on food, sport and building shows before joining Blenheim just before it was acquired by Miller Freeman. He has now worked at UBM for 14 years starting as a sales manager on Subcon and is now Group Director of Venues, Protection and Leisure.

Simon and the team have launched several events including the Facilities Show and IFSEC India, acquired and integrated many businesses as well as developed digital products in a number of markets. He is currently involved in the international expansion of his products as well as exploring new launches and acquisitions.

Nik Rudge - Group Director, Food Portfolio

Nik is Group Director for the Food Ingredients portfolio of market leading global trade shows and vertical conferences as well as UBM Middle East and is also responsible for driving the "Sales Excellence" board initiative focussing on delivering a best in class sales culture within UBM Live. Within Nik's portfolio is the print title, International Food Ingredients, as well as UBM's only business to consumer festivals, Barbican Turbo and Adrenaline Sports Live presented by RANI.

Nik joined the company in September 2007 from Reed Exhibitions in the UK, where he was responsible for their global energy & marine portfolio including one of the UK's top 10 events and where he launched events into Russia and India and was twice winner of their Innovation award.

A member of the Institute of Sales & Marketing Management, Nik utilises over 15 years' international sales and marketing expertise and has proven results at building and nurturing effective global teams and leading media related activities. An influential communicator, comfortable presenting and negotiating at board level in the securing of solutions-related contracts and has proven results at driving organisational growth and brand awareness.

Mark Snell - Group Director, Customer Management and ATC

Mark graduated with a First in Modern History & Politics from Liverpool University in 1988. After two years of media sales, he joined Blenheim Exhibitions & Conferences as a sales manager.

Over the past 19 years, also working for Miller Freeman and CMP, he has built and led a series of successful teams that have managed and evolved large shows (including Networks 1995-8) and launched award winning new exhibitions (including Call Centre Expo and Technology For Marketing & Advertising). He has successfully integrated a number of acquisitions (most recently Quest Media and Ithaca Business Media) into the portfolio which now comprises a multimedia set of products including exhibitions, conferences, magazine titles, websites, and awards programmes.

John Stuttard - VP Cosmetics, Chemicals and CSI

John Stuttard joined UBM in July 2007 as Vice President / Group Director for the International Media (now UBM Live) division in the USA. He also has M&A responsibility for the UBM Live Division in the USA.

John has 14 years media experience, having worked as Group Director for Reed Exhibitions both in the UK and the USA. He ran businesses in a variety of markets, providing trade shows, publications, online and conferencing. He has worked extensively in India, China and South America establishing new business and launching brands into new geographic regions.

John has also worked for Advanstar as European Director of IT/Telecoms media portfolio.

Prior to his media experience he worked in the Food industry for Nestlé and the textile industry for Courtaulds plc. He has a degree in English Literature from London University, and the IMM from Cranfield University.

John Welsh - Digital Director

John works with fellow board members to identify strategies to deliver our business goals.

He has a track record of building businesses through bringing about change gained in over 20 years working in B2B media, with 14 years as an editor of three different magazines and papers, the associate publisher/publisher and now digital director of UBM Live.

He has relaunched magazines, developed new revenues, revived websites and created one of the UK's first Web 2.0 B2B sites with user generated content and social networking. He won PPA editor of the year (2005) and CMPi's publisher of the year (2007),

Beside sitting on UBM Live's executive board, he has and continues to sit on many high level committees including the PPA and AOP boards, the AOP B2B committee. He is also a trustee of one of UBM's pensions and a member of UBM's Corporate Responsibility steering group.

He has written books, done regular TV and radio broadcast work plus public speaking at conferences and several lectures, both on subjects as diverse as architecture, commercial property, travel and media.

Joris van Wijk - Managing Director UBM Brazil

Joris van Wijk is responsible for UBM´s exhibition business in South America. Joris is based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, from where he manages a team which organizes events in Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires for the transport, food, pharmaceutical and fine chemical markets. UBM Brazil has an aggressive plan to grow the business through acquisitions and partnerships with other UBM divisions.

Joris started working with UBM in 1989 as a market research manager for Miller Freeman Singapore. He worked at a number of management positions for Miller Freeman in Holland before he took over the overall management of the food ingredients portfolio in 1994. Joris moved to Sao Paulo in 1995 to establish the Latin American Miller Freeman business. In 2000 this company was acquired by VNU and in 2006 Joris went back to work for UBM as Managing Director UBM Brazil to re-establish their exhibition business in South America.