Geoffrey Sauer Appointed CEO and President of Messe Düsseldorf

Geoffrey Sauer

Geoffrey Sauer will assume leadership of Messe Düsseldorf North America (MDNA), Messe Düsseldorf’s U.S. subsidiary based in Chicago, IL. As CEO & President, he will oversee the strategic and operational development of the business across the region and lead the next phase of growth for Messe Düsseldorf's North American operations.

Düsseldorf/Chicago, August 7, 2026. Geoffrey Sauer has been appointed CEO & President of Messe Düsseldorf North America (MDNA). In his new role, he will be responsible for the strategic and operational leadership of the company's U.S. subsidiary. His key priorities include further developing the existing trade fair portfolio while expanding new, sustainable event formats and business models. In his new leadership role, Tom Mitchell will work alongside Geoffrey Sauer to drive growth in North America. Under Sauer's leadership, the goal is to further strengthen the collaboration and international connectivity between North America and Messe Düsseldorf's headquarters in Düsseldorf, Germany.

“We are pleased to welcome Geoffrey Sauer, an accomplished leader with deep expertise in the international trade fair industry and a strong entrepreneurial mindset,” said Wolfram N. Diener, President & CEO of Messe Düsseldorf. “He combines international market expertise with outstanding sales leadership and brings exactly the experience we were looking for in this key role. I am confident that he will successfully lead our North American business into the future. Close alignment with our world-leading trade fairs in Düsseldorf will also play a vital role in that success.”

North America as a Strategic Growth Market

North America is one of Messe Düsseldorf's most important international growth markets. The region offers tremendous potential for the company. Measured by rented exhibition space, North America is the world's third-largest exhibition market, after Europe and Asia. Through the strategic realignment of MDNA, Messe Düsseldorf is streamlining responsibilities and adding new capabilities to further strengthen its competitive position in the region. The company's focus is on three strategic priorities: further developing its proprietary trade fairs, unlocking new market opportunities, and expanding its outbound business.

“I am delighted that we have appointed Geoffrey Sauer, an experienced executive who combines extensive international trade fair expertise, outstanding sales leadership, and strategic vision,” said Claire Steinbrück, Executive Director, Global Corporate Development and Strategy, at Messe Düsseldorf. “North America is one of the most dynamic growth markets in the global trade fair industry. Our ambition is not only to maintain a strong presence there, but to achieve sustainable growth through our own event formats and new business models. By further developing our North American subsidiary, we are creating the foundation to unlock new market opportunities and further strengthen our international market position.”

More Than 20 Years of International Trade Fair Experience

Geoffrey Sauer has more than 20 years of leadership experience across the international trade fair, media, and technology sectors. He spent the majority of his career with Reed Exhibitions (now RX), where he advanced from international sales to Group Vice President of Sales. During that time, he led global sales organizations of more than 100 employees, managed international trade fair portfolios, and oversaw business operations generating up to USD 300 million in annual revenue. His experience includes launching new event formats, expanding international exhibitor participation, and building strategic partnerships with industry associations, government organizations, and multinational companies.

Sauer later held senior executive leadership positions at several organizations including Emerald Expositions. Throughout these roles, he successfully expanded commercial organizations, entered new markets, and developed growth strategies that significantly accelerated business performance. Sauer also has a longstanding connection to Düsseldorf. Between 2015 and 2017, he lived in the city while leading international sales activities for Reed Exhibitions' German and French offices, which served the company’s global portfolio.

“Messe Düsseldorf is one of the world's most respected trade fair organizations and offers tremendous growth potential in North America,” said Geoffrey Sauer, CEO & President of Messe Düsseldorf North America. “I'm excited to work with the team in Chicago to continue growing our business, pursue new market opportunities, and connect even more exhibitors and visitors from the region with our world-leading trade fairs in Germany. I firmly believe that international success is built on close collaboration, and I'm looking forward to working closely with our colleagues in Düsseldorf.”

A Strong Presence in the North American Market

Messe Düsseldorf has maintained a presence in North America for more than 40 years. In 1982, it became the first German trade fair organization to establish a permanent office in the U.S, laying the foundation for its strong market position in the region. Today, MDNA develops and organizes ten trade fairs in five countries and manages the official U.S. Pavilions at numerous world-leading trade fairs hosted by Messe Düsseldorf.

Among the company's most significant milestones in recent years was the acquisition of a 60% stake in the trademark rights to XPONENTIAL, the world's leading trade fair for autonomous systems and robotics. Completed in 2022, the transaction marked the largest event acquisition in Messe Düsseldorf's history. The investment also enabled the further development of the brand, leading to the launch of XPONENTIAL Europe, the European edition of the event, which has been part of Messe Düsseldorf's portfolio in Germany since 2025.

Another milestone followed in 2026 with the successful launch of Valve World Calgary in Canada. Together with its growing portfolio of proprietary trade fairs and its outbound business, MDNA plays a key role in Messe Düsseldorf's international growth strategy while strengthening transatlantic connections between exhibitors, visitors, and markets.

Source: Messe Düsseldorf