Baselworld changes manager and skin

Baselworld renews itself: Sylvie Ritter leaves and a new number one arrives, Michel Loris-Melikoff. Here are the first initiatives announced ♦ ︎
Earthquake in Switzerland, epicenter in Basel. Only one victim, fortunately, but without damage to health: the former managing director of Baselworld, Sylvie Ritter. The manager after 26 years at the top of the Mch Group, the company that organizes the fair dedicated to jewelry and watches, gives way to Michel Loris-Melikoff, who until yesterday held the position of director of Mch Beaulieu Lausanne.
Here are the official statements: “After 26 years with the Mch Group, 15 of which as managing director of Baselworld, it is time for me to start something new and face new challenges”, says Sylvie Ritter, who received the usual thanks from of the Comité Consultatif of Baselworld. “Sylvie Ritter has left its mark on Baselworld for decades and has been the most important personal contact for exhibitors,” says François Thiébaud, president of the Swiss Exhibitors’ Committee.
Michel Loris-Melikoff is, therefore, the new operative number one. The manager joined the Mch Group three years ago as director of Mch Beaulieu Lausann, an exhibition company that has been part of the Basel group since 2010. Loris-Melikoff is a lawyer, 53, and started his career in private banking, before entering the event industry 20 years ago. After six years as president of the Zurich Street Parade, he took over the management of an event agency that developed and implemented concepts for national and international events organized by international sports associations, public bodies and private companies. He later became CEO of St. Jakobshalle in Basel before joining the Mch group.

What changes for Baselworld?

“We are expanding the Baselworld team and further developing the event to continue on the road to quality improvement and to face the challenges of the future”, are the first words of Michel Loris-Melikoff. “We want to place Baselworld as the main marketing and communication platform for the sector: we are tackling this task with a large number of new ideas and valuable input from exhibitors, visitors and the media”.
And here’s the first news: an change is coming, especially for the jewelery segment. New concepts will also be developed for the watchmaking and precious stones sectors. They will be presented shortly. Further innovations will be introduced in the catering, hospitality and events sectors “so as to meet the needs of exhibitors and visitors even more”. Baselworld 2019 will open a whole day for media representatives. The newspaper Baselworld Daily News will be back in print and with a new concept. At the same time, the digital information and communication offers launched in 2018 will be intensified and supplemented by new services for exhibitors, visitors and the media.

Che cosa cambia per Baselworld?

«Ampliamo il team di Baselworld e sviluppiamo ulteriormente l’evento per continuare sulla strada del miglioramento della qualità e per affrontare le sfide del futuro», sono le prime parole di Michel Loris-Melikoff. «Vogliamo posizionare Baselworld come la principale piattaforma di marketing e comunicazione per il settore: stiamo affrontando questo compito con un gran numero di nuove idee e con preziosi input da parte di espositori, visitatori e media».

Ed ecco la prima novità: è in arrivo un’iniziativa soprattutto per il segmento dei gioielli. Nuovi concetti saranno elaborati anche per i settori dell’orologeria e delle pietre preziose. Saranno presentati a breve. Ulteriori innovazioni saranno introdotte nei settori della ristorazione, dell’ospitalità e degli eventi «in modo tale da soddisfare le esigenze di espositori e visitatori in misura ancora maggiore». Baselworld 2019 sarà aperta un’intera giornata per i rappresentanti dei media. Il giornale della fiera Baselworld Daily News tornerà in forma stampata e con un nuovo concept. Parallelamente, le offerte di informazione e comunicazione digitale lanciate nel 2018 saranno intensificate e integrate da nuovi servizi per espositori, visitatori e media.