Dick Van Raamsdonk is the Brain Child of IFTEX and makes a big contribution to Kenya’s flower sector. Growers around the world open their farm gates for him. Buyers around the world pack their briefcases to answer his call. Mr. Masila Kanyingi has been covering him for the last five years and below is a tete-a-tete from different interviews and other researched pieces.
Tell us a little about yourself
Dick van Raamsdonk (59 years) graduated from Eindhoven University of Applied Sciences, after which he studied Economics at the University of Amsterdam. After that, he briefly worked for the World Flower Trade Center in Leiden. A little later, he started his own business.
Tell us about your Family
I have a young family as well of three young children, who keep me up at night on a regular basis.
What does your job entail
Established in 1984, HPP Exhibitions has already 33 years of experience in organizing trade exhibitions all over the world. It has organized more than 180 exhibitions in 35 countries.
HPP Exhibitions, with offices in Europe, South America and Africa, promotes companies active in the fields of Floriculture and Horticulture through international exhibitions all over the world.
We excel in creating high profile, highly targeted business to business exhibitions, where buyers and suppliers from around the world can come together to do business.
HPP Exhibitions business philosophy is centred on delivering business contacts and solutions that create added value for our customers. Our company values reflect this philosophy.
International developments have moved at such a fast pace over the last years that slowing down, even for a moment, will instantly put your company behind. Rapidly changing consumer demands, strong rising and falling economies, increasing cargo capacity facilities and upcoming new producing countries are reasons enough to carefully monitor threats and opportunities.
HPP offers a tool for keeping up to date on current developments in the Floriculture and Horticulture an opportunity to adjust your current production, logistics and marketing strategies.
Our main objective is to provide an excellent service in the organization and execution of professional international trade exhibitions and work towards ecological and economic developments in a dynamic worldwide market.
In an increasingly digital age, nothing can replace the power of human contact for establishing and maintaining business relations.
What is your ideal day like
I travel a lot. Am either in Quito, Amsterdam, Las Vegas, Nairobi, Tehran or Guangzhou. Among many other global cities. Am either meeting exhibitors, being part of an exhibition, talking to press or even engaging the governments. My day is dictated by the day’s events.
You are the founder of HPP, and its first president. How is it
Demanding. Buyers and growers I speak with – even onboard the plane – says it was a perfect trade show. Let’s say it was nearly perfect. Because total perfection doesn’t exist. But I always see something to improve on. There are always little things that could be better. The demand for better keeps on coming out.
Discuss IFTEX 2017
IFTEX is the only event where you can meet all flower growers at the same time and place, together with its buyers. Going by history and current confirmation, it will be a very good show.
The fact that Kenya is the only country in the world where the production area of flowers structurally increases is a strong indicator that the sector -overall- is in a good shape. This cannot mean anything different than strength for even more growth when coming into calm waters. Therefore IFTEX is an excellent instrument for the Kenyan floriculture Industry to support and accelerate this growth.
IFTEX will definitely grow in its sixth edition this year. Not only because of many more Kenyan growers who want to exhibit this time, but also last year exhibitors wanting to display in bigger stands. The most important thing that could have happened in the fair and which actually did happen is the change from doubt in belief that flower buyers did fly in and did attend the expo.
Furthermore, IFTEX is has become a regional event, hosting growers from other African flower producing countries that are too small on their own to hold such event. And as already mentioned, I expect IFTEX to become the Africa’s flower grower trade fair within a few years, becoming the sourcing market for the world for any African fresh cut flowers.
Feedback has been positive; above expectations and the most important outcome was confidence in the future of this fair. There will be many new international exhibitors. Furthermore most, if not all 2016 exhibitors will be present again this year with, in many occasions, bigger sized stands.
Why did you choose this speciality
To make a difference. It’s an amazing thing to do in terms of making a difference in floribusiness people’s life. As an event organiser, I have several roles. I can integrate all of them and work at the same time.
How do you handle work load stress and emergency situations
Emergencies are my priorities. Workload comes later
What are your weaknesses and strengths
Weakness: I am a perfectionist wanting to do things on my own. With workload, I have to identify the right person and delegate as I build others.
Strength: Being able to bring people together, networking, solving issues and creating ambience in business environment
Describe your successful accomplishes
“I’ve had a few good fairs now. There were some unexpected good results in Ecuador. IFTEX in Kenya went well, too. The four days in Iran were a nightmare in terms of organisation. So much red tape. But the trade show was nice and a big success. It was teeming with people. There is going to be 40,000 ha of horticulture in Iran. The exhibiting rose breeders immediately booked again. Everybody’s coming along again, including those who didn’t dare the first time round. I’m going to organise this fair again. This is success. The rest of the shows have been quite successful too.
How do you explain your success?
Commitment, being specialised and above all, perseverance. I put my head down and keep going.”
Aren’t you very approachable as well
“Yes, I’m always having a laugh with everyone at the airport, at the trade shows. I know most of the exhibitors personally. We chat about business and private matters, about everything. In a normal way. Very informal. I don’t need a management board. If you don’t mingle with the crowd, you won’t hear anything. How would you be able to do what the customers want? All I have to do is make sure that there is a fair and that I do what people want. Breeders want to meet growers and growers want to meet buyers. It’s as simple as that.”
“The time leading up to and during a trade show always gives me some tension. For me, a trade show is equivalent to Valentine’s Day for growers and flower exporters. I’ve got to perform during the fair. I can’t really enjoy the time I spend at the fair. At long last, during the past six years, I’ve had a few successful trade fairs. I started in Taiwan in 1985 and the fairs we organised the first 25 years generated some income, but we only really broke through in 2010 and since then we’ve had a well-filled, stable portfolio. I gained lots of experience in those days, though. I used to love the pioneering, but nowadays, walking around on a successful trade show …”
What do you do at your free time
I am a family man. I do not perceive my kids as a punishment though. I play the guitar and my daughter the piano. You can check on the YouTube Videos my performance with my daughter Tess – six years old at the time – in 2015, in the SBS 6 TV-programme singing John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ and the rest of the family in attendance. ‘We are a family’.
What has been your greatest challenge in the events organisations field
Stepping on other people’s toes as I try to make trade shows successful. I have no idea why. Sometimes it’s personal, but I think its business most of the time. I sometimes get in other people’s ways, which makes them worry that they’ll be knocked off their perch. People don’t like that. There isn’t much I can do about it. These things are mostly related to business interests.”
What are the challenges in the flower sector that you try to help
Having buyers and growers in one room for a business discussion.
What do you enjoy most about your work
Just seen buyers and growers sitting together in one setting to discuss business.
How do you balance between Job and Family
I try to set boundaries. I do not carry homework. When I get home its time to be with my family.
What are your future plans
“I’m trying to optimise existing trade fairs and establish and expand new, smaller trade fairs, such as the one in Iran. In addition, I would really like to organise a World Horticultural Exposition one day. A bit like a Floriade for businesses. An expanded version of IFTF, with maximum activity of growers, breeders and suppliers of dry materials, all gathered in one place. An event that will be visited by end-product buyers as well as by growers and which will last for a week or even longer. Perhaps as a one-off only. There aren’t too many other things on my list. I’m busy enough as it is.”