The new CEO of the MCH Group wants to push ahead with the transformation process

Stadlwieser has been head of the crisis-ridden MCH Group for just under two months. He heads a company that posted a loss of 190.4 million Swiss francs last year and had to make 30 employees redundant as part of the cutback of 50 jobs. On Thursday, the new CEO faced questions from media representatives in Basel for the first time.

In principle, Stadlwieser is positive about the MC Group's future prospects. "We are not in such a bad position," he said. He cited the transformation process that has been initiated as the reason for his optimism. In the renewal of its strategic organization and business plans, the MCH Group is being accompanied by the consulting firm McKinsey.

In the trade fair business, Stadlwieser sees a need for action above all in digitization and internationalization. Here, he cited the "lead fair" Art Basel, with its additional footholds in Miami and Hong Kong and an advanced level of digitization, as a role model. "So far, however, we have not yet succeeded in dragging these strategies over to other fairs," he said.

Baselworld concerns not only watches

He was referring in particular to Baselworld, which, despite a number of important departures, was still one of the world's leading trade shows. Thus, in addition to the radically changed market conditions, he definitely also cited management errors as the cause of the crisis. "Trade show appearances are expensive and are increasingly judged from the point of view of return on investment," Stadlwieser said.

But he still sees great potential in Baselworld, even if the 2020 show has to absorb another weighty departure in the form of Breitling. "We intend to open up the field a bit; Baselworld is, after all, not just a trade show for watches, but also for jewelry and gemstones," Stadlwieser said. Here one wants to make now a fair participation in the "middle range" with pre-modulated and thus more favorable stand constructions palatable.

Stadlwieser is also confident - "fingers crossed" - that Breitling will be back on board for the 2021 edition. He cited the upcoming concept and schedule adjustments as the reason for this confidence.

Stadlwieser, however, does not want to focus solely on the two leading trade shows. By name, he described the industrial fairs Swissbau and Igeho as "strong products". He even sees positive prospects for public trade fairs despite the abandonment of Muba, albeit increasingly on a festival level. Here he cited Giardina and Criterion in Zurich as examples.

Live Marketing Solutions growth area

Stadlwieser predicts good prospects for the Live Marketing Solutions (LMS) Division, a weighty and growing business unit of the MCH Group. This division comprises the services "strategy and conception, marketing consulting, event management, exhibition and event construction, and multi-media solutions". In 2017, the MCH Group acquired MC-squared, one of the leading service companies in the exhibition and event market in the USA.

Stadlwieser did not want to comment on possible changes to the ownership structures - there had been increasing calls in the Basel Grand Council for the canton to withdraw from the board of directors. These structures had no influence on the current course of business, he said. (SDA)