Exhibition Committee

Constitution of the METSTRADE Exhibition Committee

The METSTRADE Exhibition Committee is an advisory board - established in METSTRADE’s inaugural year 1988 - that consists of executives of exhibiting and visiting companies who act as the voice and trend watchers of the global leisure marine industry.

View all members of the METSTRADE Exhibition Committee »

Responsibilities of the METSTRADE Exhibition Committee

Every committee member primarily has an advisory and informative role and will be consulted for a variety of (strategic) issues which are expected to have impact on the METSTRADE Show and its concept. Topics that are typically addressed:

Concept/strategy/show development
(New) events / special items
Marketing – materials such as brochures
Marketing – (new) target groups
Marketing – (new) media choices
Exhibition programme
Appointment of new Exhibition Committee members
Reports/updates on the industry developments

Three times per year the committee convenes to brainstorm, review and discuss these current and future matters.

Membership policy of the Exhibition Committee

The committee's members are invited by Amsterdam RAI, and appointed by the METSTRADE Exhibition Committee, each January a current member steps down after serving the committee for 6-8 years, and a new member is welcomed every year. The committee is chaired by the Group director Maritime RAI Amsterdam, and is accompanied by the METSTRADE product managers. ICOMIA and its members are represented via their Secretary General, who has a permanent seat in the committee and in addition, 5 to 6 exhibitors represent a variety of segments within the equipment manufacturer market. New members are appointed by RAI Amsterdam, with the approval of the remaining committee members. The term of membership is 5 to 6 years and subsequently every year part of the committee changes.

MEMBERS EXHIBITION COMMITTEE

The METSTRADE Exhibition Committee is an advisory board that consists of executives of exhibiting and visiting companies who act as the voice and trend watchers of the global leisure marine industry. Established in METSTRADE’s inaugural year 1988, many respected industry leaders have been part of the committee and have been major contributors to the successes of the METSTRADE Show throughout the years.

Irene Dros

Committee Chair

Vidar Aasestrand

Vidar Aasestrand has been the CEO of Polyform AS since 2005, and holds 50% of the shares in the company. Prior to this he was Regional Manager for Norway’s leading supplier of piping systems to the shipyards in the offshore supply vessel industry in Norway, Brazil and Romania.

Bob Rudolph

Bob Rudolph is the Vice President of International Sales for MTI Industries (USA). He grew up working in boat yards and worked as a mechanic, travel lift operator, service writer and captain. Previous to starting his work at MTI Industries, he worked as a manufacturer’s representative for companies such as Icom, Xantrex, Vetus, Edson, Poly-Planar and many more. Currently, his work includes working with many American Boat manufacturers to incorporate certain products into their builds. With his experience in many different jobs, Rudolph believes he can lend a perspective of many facets of the marine segment.

Udo Kleinitz

The International Council of Marine Industry Associations’ (ICOMIA) Secretary General, Udo Kleinitz, holds the German master craftsman qualification in boatbuilding, which he obtained during the 15 years working in yards at the lakes in the Munich area. In 2008 Udo relocated to UK after being appointed as Technical Manager at ICOMIA - a post he held for five years, before leaving to join British Marine as Head of Technical Services.

Alessandro Gianneschi

Gianneschi Pumps and Blowers is a family owned business and, together with his brother Cristiano, Alessandro represents the second generation of the company management. The company was founded by his father Luigi Gianneschi. Alessandro joined the company in 1997 and has been present at METSTRADE for the past 20 years. Since he joined the company he has spent lots of time in sales and marketing activities and developing the export network.

Leo Stam

Leo Stam has been director and owner of Hydrosta bv for over 20 years and he started his career in this family company. Due to his engineering skills he has been able to expand the product range of Hydrosta. In addition, he is an excellent sparring partner as he knows the ins and outs of marine drive and control systems.

Andreas Tegeler

Andreas Tegeler became the General Manager of Yachticon in 2011. He is responsible for all sales within Germany as well as exporting, strategic planning, product development, quality management, and controlling of legal requirements for chemical products. Before working for Yachticon, Andreas worked as consultant for the US Government. Therefore, he is confident with organizational skill to manage variety of products and markets that Yachticon offers.

Antoine Thomas

Antoine Thomas took over ENO, a centenary company leader in galley equipments for boats, in 2003 with a partner and together they hold 67% of the capital. He is in charge of the business development and as well sales & marketing for the group (ENO and F0RCE10). He has been working a lot to increase the international availability of the brands for both OEM and aftermarket. Before he worked at Coca Cola Enterprise for 10 years in France and Europe in both operations and sales in senior management positions. Antoine lives in La Rochelle (France), with his family, not far from the factory. Antoine and his family are great fans of sailing.

Mei Reading

Mei Reading is Global Marketing Director at the Griffin Group.“METS is the biggest leisure marine equipment trade show in the world, our company Griffin Group has been exhibited our filtration product at the show since 2011. It is an honour I am invited to be the first Asian to the METSTRADE committee in its past 31 years history. I hope I can contribute my ideas and share my opinion with the committee about the Asia and Asia Pacific leisure marine industry.”

Tom Reed

Tom Reed is the owner and CEO of award-winning outdoor technologies company Scanstrut Ltd and its USA subsidiary Scanstrut Inc. Designing and manufacturing highly innovative products that enable the use of technologies in the Marine, RV, Agriculture and Outdoor Spaces sectors, Scanstrut exports to over 40 countries and was the overall winner of DAME in 2017. Tom is an experienced inshore and offshore sailor and has competed at European and World Championship level. “Our company has exhibited at METS since its very earliest days and I’m delighted to be involved and hope I can bring some new ideas and experience to an already highly successful event."

FORMER MEMBERS EXHIBITION COMMITTEE

Andrea Razeto

Born in Recco (Genoa, Italy ) on 13/11/1967, Andrea Razeto, together with other members, represents the third generation leading the company F.lli Razeto and Casareto S.p.A. This family business company operates in the marine industry and shipbuilding since 1920. Currently Mr. Razeto is involved as Chairman and Director of the Marine Consortium Ligurai Produce (12/2008). He is also Vice-President of UCINA, National Union Shipyards and Naval Industries of Italy.

Ernie Ellis

Ernie Ellis is President & Principal shareholder of Metalcraft, Inc., corporate owner of Sea-Fire Marine. Ernie has over 25 years of commitment & experience in the marine market specializing in safety oriented products including fire suppression and detection solutions for all type of marine vessels.

Hendrik van der Linde

Since 1975, Hendrik van der Linde has been heavily involved in starting up Rondal where they were making spars, rigging and deck equipment for super yachts. In 1986 Mr. van der Linde left Rondal and started working for Lewmar Ltd.

Ids Boersma

With a background in marketing and sales Mr. Boersma has been working for RAI Amsterdam in various positions. He was leading RAI’s International Maritime Group in the nineties. After this Mr. Boersma held several Board positions within the RAI and he chaired the METSTRADE EC during various periods (1998-2000), (2003-2008) , (2015-2016).

Mats-Uno Fredrikson

Mats-Uno Fredrikson has a degree in marketing economics and joined Seldén Mast AB in 1987 as product manager for Furlex. His main task at that time was to build up the network of authorized Furlex dealers, mainly sailmakers and riggers, and to establish the product internationally. Since 1999 he is the marketing manager and aftermarket sales manager for the Seldén Group.

Nigel Craine

Nigel Craine has worked in the marine industry since 1981 when he worked as a yacht skipper in the charter business. He then moved into yacht sales and finally into electronics where he has worked for the last 20 years. During his time in marine electronics he has spent most of his time in exports, dealing with distributors and OEM yacht builders.

Pascal Cardi

Pascal Cardi spent the large part of his career in the Royal Canin group where he worked in sales and production before becoming its President. In 2000, he bought NVequipment, the European leader in Outdoor Protection, to develop it internationally for the OEM and aftermarket. He has been a member of the Board of Administration of the French Federation of Nautical Industries since 2013, and has represented the Federation of Nautical Industries on the organisation committee of the METS since 2013. His goal is to help the members from different countries to share their experiences.

Patrick Gillet

He was International Sales Manager of AMF’s Marine Group, before joining Brunger Export as an employee. He then became a 33% partner in Brunger Export in 1985, and in 2000 became President and sole owner of Brunger Export Inc., where he remains active today.

Peter Dudman

After working in the filtration industry for 10 years Peter Dudman moved to the marine sector in 1976 and has been fortunate to work with some of the major companies in the marine leisure industry as Lewmar to Raymarine via Humminbird and Oceanair.

Pierre Barbleu

When he has been a member of the METSTRADE Exhibition Committee, Mr. Barbleu was senior executive vice president of Zodiac, the inflatable boats, semi rigids and life rafts manufacturer. He was also vice president of the FIN (Fédération des Industries Nautiques) in France and has been president of ICOMIA between 2001 and 2003.

Theo Lingmont

As Chairman of the Exhibition Committee (2008-2016), Theo Lingmont was also Director International Exhibitions at RAI Amsterdam (24 international tradeshows). Before he was MD at various international companies in the hotel and hospitality industry and owned a hotel development and IT company. For six years he was MD at the Netherlands Board of Tourism in London.

Thomas Stamann

After his studies in mechanical engineering and a few years as a sailor on board of various international cargo ships, he starts to build his own yachts. In 1989, Thomas took his experience with boats and his passion for sailing and founded his mail-order company SVB.

Tom Douglass

Tom Douglass has worked in the Marine Industry since 1982. He has served on the Board of Directors for the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and the Board of Directors for (AMD), the Accessory Manufacturers Division of the NMMA.

Wilco Veerman

Active on the METSTRADE Exhibition Committee from 1998 to 2003 while serving as Managing Director of marine equipment distributor Lankhorst Taselaar, probably the largest distributor in Europe, representing more than 70 leading industry brands.

Willem van der Loo

After his career in the Merchant Marine as Navigation officer Mr. van der Loo became active in the Pleasure Marine Industry as Sales and Marketing Manager for several Marine Products (Navigation and Communication). Being an exhibitor at various Consumer and Trade shows he got involved in the Exhibition Industry.

METSTRADE Show

SuperYacht Pavilion

Marina & Yard Pavilion

Construction Material Pavilion

Programme

Conferences and stages

Showcases

Social Events

Networking

DAME Design Award

Extra