GHM Gesellschaft für Handwerksmessen mbH has appointed Florian Gmeinwieser as director of iba, the world’s leading trade fair for the baking and confectionery sector.
He succeeds Susann Seidemann, who is moving into a senior management role at GHM after overseeing the event since 2021.
Gmeinwieser, 53, brings more than two decades of experience in business development, digital marketing and strategy. A graduate in business administration, he has worked extensively in B2B consulting and held leadership roles at communications agencies in Germany, including Serviceplan, where he directed mobile initiatives before advancing to Head of Digital Business. His background, however, is also tied personally to the sector: trained originally as a precision mechanic, he comes from a family of bakers and has longstanding ties to the craft.
“Iba is the stage for the entire national and international baking industry,” Gmeinwieser said. “Combining artisan bakery with innovative technologies and sustainable solutions is a key trend for the future, and one that I want to continue to promote.”
GHM said Gmeinwieser will work closely with the German Bakers’ Confederation, which owns the fair, as well as with industry stakeholders and the iba team, to drive the event’s development. His expertise in digital strategy and brand management is expected to shape iba’s evolution as the industry confronts technological change and shifting consumer expectations.
Seidemann, who takes on the role of Chief Sales Officer at GHM, reflected on her tenure, saying, “I am looking forward to the new challenge at GHM. Now it’s time to say thank you. Thank you to the entire baking industry, to all market participants, to all partners and to the German Bakers’ Confederation for the wonderful cooperation. With Florian Gmeinwieser, a proven strategy expert is taking over the leadership of iba. He has a deep understanding of the challenges facing the baking sector. I am handing over the further development of this unique trade fair for the baking industry into the best of hands.”
Roland Ermer, president of the German Bakers’ Confederation, praised her leadership and welcomed the transition. “Susann Seidemann has contributed significantly to the success of iba in recent years. I have always been impressed by her vision, her organisational skills and her consistently good humour,” he said. “The entire team at the German Bakers’ Confederation would like to thank her for her collaboration and at the same time we are looking forward to welcoming her successor, Florian Gmeinwieser. With him, GHM has gained an experienced strategist who knows how to bring national and international customers together.”
The next edition of iba is scheduled for 2027.
Find out more at: https://www.iba-tradefair.com/en/