NürnbergMesse, the organisers of FACHPACK, and M2N Media, are intensifying their collaboration. At FACHPACK 2025, we will be hosting an exclusive Pavilion “Converting meets Packaging” for key players from our industry. In the run-up to the trade fair that will take place from 23-25 September in Nuremberg, we will be reporting regularly about the event, its community and the supporting programme.
Phuong Anh Do was appointed Director FACHPACK at NürnbergMesse in January 2025. Together with Heike Slotta, Executive Director Exhibitions, she has been shaping the trade fair for many years. In an exclusive interview, we talked about the ‘Women4Packaging’ network, among other things.
Ms Do, the management team at FACHPACK has been very much a ‘female’ team for many years. To what extent has Heike Slotta been a mentor to you?
Phuong Anh Do: I’ve been with NürnbergMesse since 2014 and with FACHPACK since 2018. Heike Slotta has always had a very good sense of my personal strengths. She repeatedly entrusted me with new projects or topics that challenged me and thus gave me opportunities to grow both professionally and personally. We have been working together in this way for seven years – and I have benefited enormously from her expertise and talent in creating concepts and strategies!
How would you define ‘female leadership’?
P. Anh Do: For me, it’s a leadership approach characterised by authenticity and strong communication skills. It’s about leading with attitude – not through hierarchy, but through trust, responsibility and communication at eye level. Personally, it’s especially important to me in my professional leadership to respond to the strengths of my colleagues with a good sense of team dynamics. Another aspect for me is long-term thinking: not everything has to shine immediately – a lasting effect is created when we keep our eyes firmly on our goals and build integrative processes that take people with us and combine perspectives.
These values are also coming more and more to the fore at FACHPACK – as a stimulus for an industry that still appears to be very male-dominated. Above all, ‘Women4Packaging’ should be mentioned here.
P. Anh Do: At various events, I have repeatedly met women from the packaging industry who often work with 20 or more male colleagues in a team and have also expressed a desire to exchange ideas with other women in the industry. This led to the idea of giving all women working in the packaging industry a special space for networking.
At ‘Women4Packaging’, we want to focus on content-related, professional exchange in order to be able to give all participants different perspectives on their topics. Discussions at eye level are particularly important to us. That’s why we also maintain a very personal culture in the network. This is close to my heart! Of course, topics such as leadership will also be discussed.
The following is also important to me: Yes, the proportion of women could be higher, but we have already arrived in management positions in many places. It is precisely here that we, as a trade fair organiser, can make a valuable contribution with networking and mutual inspiration, and enable professional exchange and knowledge transfer.
You got off to a successful start with the network last year – what can we expect as a ‘follow-up’ at FACHPACK 2025?
P. Anh Do: There will definitely be a second round of ‘Women4Packaging’! After the positive feedback for the keynote and panel discussion with women from the industry, we want to focus more on practical exchange this year. It is also our goal to actively continue this network throughout the year. All interested women are welcome to join our LinkedIn group Women4Packaging, so they don’t miss anything.
How can technical professions become more attractive to women?
P. Anh Do: Technology needs diversity! It is a necessary tool to shape the future and find solutions. Beyond facts and figures, the specific benefits of a technology should be explained much more. If we emphasise the scope, opportunities and ideas that technology offers us, it will become more attractive to women. We should also focus much more on successful female role models or influencers who can make the technical work environment more visible and tangible.
“Converting meets Packaging” at FACHPACK 2025
As M2N Media, we are delighted to be launching the Converting Pavilion together with FACHPACK under the motto ‘Converting meets Packaging’. This innovative platform emphasises the close connection between the converting industry and the packaging industry.
The Converting Pavilion offers a curated stage for companies that are active at the interface between these industries – whether in the areas of finishing, coating, printing, laminating, adhesive technology or flexible packaging development. This is where experts, innovations and visions come together to shape the future of converting and packaging.
Join us, discover FACHPACK, and take advantage of the opportunity to showcase your company at the pavilion to a focused trade audience.
Contact us today to discuss your presence at the ‘Converting meets Packaging’ Pavilion and explore customised advertising opportunities in PRO Flexconvert surrounding this event: nina.pirchmoser@m2n-media.com