There is a major change in the top management of MCH Swiss Exhibition Ltd, whose trade shows include the international watch and jewelry show in Basel, Switzerland.

René Kamm, 42, currently general manager of its global exhibitions division (including the Basel show) has been named the chief executive officer of Swiss Exhibition, says an announcement by the company. Among other duties, Kamm has led the multi-year project repositioning the Basel Fair, including renovation and restructuring of its prestige watch and jewelry halls, and the “one fair, two cities” concept which will send the Basel Fair’s country pavilion exhibitors to Zurich (to a new Swiss Exhibition center) in 2003.

Kamm will also become chairman of board of directors of the subsidiary MCH Basel Exhibition Ltd., operator of the Basel watch and jewelry show.

Kurt Frischknecht, 49, will be the new chief operating officer.

The appointments by the board of directors of Swiss Exhibition are effective Jan. 1, 2003.

The current CEO, Jürg Böhni and chief operating officer, Hanspeter Meyer, will exercise their early retirement option, said the announcement. Böhni and Meyer will continue as consultants until spring 2003.

Hanspeter Meyer will remain chairman of Swiss Exhibition’s subsidiary MCH Zurich Exhibition Ltd. until the end of 2004. Kamm and Frischknecht will also join the board of MCH Zurich Exhibition.

Kamm, 42, joined the management team of Basel Exhibition Ltd. (then known as Messe Basel) in 1999 as head of the global exhibitions division, which includes the “World Watch and Jewelry Show BASEL” and the international art show, “Art Basel.” Frischknecht, 49, also joined in 1999 and headed the European Exhibitions Division, which includes more than two dozen Swiss Exhibition’s events.

Along with Kamm and Frischknecht, other members in the group management of Swiss Exhibition are Markus Haering, chief financial officer; Ueli Born, general manager services, and Peter Holenstein, head of exhibition and convention centers division.

The election of the boards of directors of both subsidiaries will be held at the extraordinary general meetings of shareholders of MCH Basel Exhibition Ltd. and MCH Zurich Exhibition Ltd. in December 2002.

JCK