FESPA names Neil Felton as CEO

Neil Felton now assumes the role of CEO, making him responsible for the overall direction of all the organisation's activities, including the global exhibitions and events portfolio, interaction with FESPA's 37 national associations, and direction of FESPA's Profit for Purpose mission.

Neil retains specific accountability for the strategic direction of FESPA's developing markets and its online and new media portfolio. The developing market events include the established exhibitions in Mexico, Brazil and Eurasia, as well as FESPA Africa which launches in Johannesburg, South Africa, in July 2014.

Roz McGuinness joins FESPA as Divisional Director, taking full responsibility for FESPA's market-leading European exhibitions - including the flagship 'screen + digital + textile' event, the focussed FESPA Digital edition, and the recently launched European Sign Expo. Roz's portfolio will also include FESPA's Asian events. Roz will oversee all aspects of these events, including sales, marketing and operations, working with an eight-strong team.

Roz is an exhibitions management professional with over 17 years' experience, including four years as Group Exhibitions Manager for printing industry research and consultancy body Pira International. More recently, Roz worked for nine years at i2i Events, where she steered the sustained growth of the Autumn Fair and Spring Fair, annual business-to-business events covering 90000m2 at the Birmingham NEC, hosting 4000 international exhibitors from 11 sectors, and attracting an audience of 75000 professional buyers.

Neil Felton comments, "Roz's experience of directing a major B2B exhibition addressing multiple sectors will be important in helping FESPA to expand its reach and attract new audiences for our exhibitors. In addition to her grounding in the digital print sector, Roz's recent career has given her invaluable insights into several vertical markets which represent growth opportunities for FESPA's community of print service providers, including retail, interior décor and housewares, promotional products and fashion."

FESPA has also appointed Sean Holt to the position of General Secretary, to coordinate FESPA's support for its national associations, including the organisation of educational, knowledge-sharing and networking initiatives funded through the Profit for Purpose programme. Sean will foster deeper relationships with FESPA's community of member associations, supporting them to expand and develop their services to members, and devising new initiatives with FESPA's financial and practical support.