Directors of Exhibition Divisions of the USSR Chamber of Commerce/Chamber of Commerce and Industry, EXPOCENTRE Association under the USSR Chamber of Commerce and Industry, EXPOCENTRE Association, and EXPOCENTRE AO
Exhibition departments of the USSR Chamber of Commerce and Industry and its successor EXPOCENTRE has always been headed by charismatic and ingenious leaders. Their hard work laid the foundation for the development of exhibition business in Russia; they conducted major industry exhibitions which, in turn, boosted a positive image of our country in the world.
In 1945, a new committee was formed within the USSR Chamber of Trade. It was called a Standing Exhibitions Committee, and in 1947 on the basis of this committee a Department for Foreign Exhibitions (the Exhibitions Department since 1949) was created.
In 1960, the Exhibitions Department was transformed into the Agency for Exhibitions with two subdivisions: the Department for Soviet Exhibitions Abroad and the Department of Foreign Exhibitions in the Soviet Union.
In 1964, the Department for Foreign Exhibitions was turned into the Agency for Foreign Exhibitions in the USSR and the Soviet Exhibitions Department - into the Agency for Soviet Exhibitions Abroad.
In 1969, the USSR Chamber of Commerce set up an Agency for International and Foreign Exhibitions consisting of the Department for Foreign Exhibitions, Department for International Exhibitions and other units. Such division was dictated by a new trend when, in addition to the exhibitions held in the USSR on the initiative of other countries and private companies, universal international exhibitions began to be held there.
In 1977, the EXPOCENTRE Association was set up on the basis of the Agency for International and Foreign Exhibitions as part of the USSR Chamber of Commerce and Industry. In 1989 due to abolishment of the Agency for Soviet Exhibitions Abroad of the USSR Chamber of Commerce and Industry, organization of Soviet exhibitions abroad was committed to EXPOCENTRE.
In 1991, when the national economy was going through reforms, EXPOCENTRE became a joint stock company.
