“I am enthusiastic when others are enthusiastic”

Marianny Eisenhofer has been at the helm of POWTECH TECHNOPHARM for two and a half years. Her path there has been eventful. But the Allgäu native with Venezuelan roots knows that if you want to get to the top, you have to go through the valley. Her enthusiasm has already swept many people off their feet.

Written by Dr. Ulla Reutner

Portait of Marianny Eisenhofer, Director POWTECH TECHNOPHARM — With enthusiasm and curiosity at POWTECH TECHNOPHARM: Marianny Eisenhofer wants to focus the trade fair even more on networking and experience.

The sparkling eyes, the intense gaze, the open laugh - anyone who has ever met Marianny Eisenhofer will not forget her in a hurry. As Director Exhibitions at NürnbergMesse, she sets the course for POWTECH TECHNOPHARM, together with a young team that is just as enthusiastic as she is, curious about the world of process technology, about what moves exhibitors and visitors to the trade fair.

In her search for her ideal career path, Marianny Eisenhofer realised at some point: ‘The most important thing for me is people. I can be enthusiastic about many things - and most of all about what inspires others.

It could have turned out differently. At the age of three, she came from her native Venezuela to Southern Germany, to the Allgäu region. Her parents made sure that she learnt German perfectly. A child, they thought, could do this ‘by playing’. So it's best in kindergarten. ‘I was frustrated there at first. Nobody understood me - and I didn't understand the others,’ she says. Her open, lively manner probably opened everyone's hearts even then - and helped her to learn the language quickly.

Marianny Eisenhofer with the POWTECH TECHNOPHARM team at an exhibitor's stand — Eisenhofer (left) with the POWTECH TECHNOPHARM team

After school: experiences in production

Her childhood and youth were characterised by encounters with many people. Her openness helped her at school, in clubs and in several jobs. After graduating from high school, she was initially looking for a job that would fulfil her. There were plenty of opportunities for orientation. ‘I saw various production lines, packaging plants and warehouses from the inside,’ reports Marianny Eisenhofer. She gained insights into various industries, for example the plastics scene at Playmobil and the furniture industry at kitchen manufacturer Schüller. ‘What are you actually doing here in production with your A-levels?’ said the HR manager there. She eventually began to study business education, ‘but I soon realised that I didn't want to be a teacher or a management consultant.’

The next opportunity came while working as a barista in an exclusive household goods shop. Expensive technology, lots of people, Eisenhofer felt really at home - and in turn was very much appreciated there. Her boss finally gave her the opportunity to complete a dual study programme to become a commercial specialist. ‘Immediately after my final examination, I was headhunted by Messe München,’ Marianny Eisenhofer recalls. Her energy and charisma won over one of the customers. Did she ‘fancy a sales job at a jewellery and watch fair’? Absolutely! ‘Jewellery was something I was born with thanks to my Venezuelan roots.’

Start in the trade fair business: A passion for jewellery and watches

So, she started her career in the trade fair business. With some success. After two years in sales, her commitment and foreign language skills were recognised, and she switched to project management. She now benefited from her earlier insights into various small and large companies. ‘An internship at Bosch at the Ansbach production site in Controlling in particular gave me a lot: on the one hand, a feeling for the importance of figures and key business figures for corporate management, but also insights into high-tech production, such as clean room production.’ At Inhorgenta, she took on more and more tasks and bore the associated responsibility.

She would probably still be at Messe München today if it had not been for coronavirus, the associated economic crisis and the resulting significant staff cuts, which made her chances of promotion less favourable. She was therefore open to a change when NürnbergMesse contacted her. ‘That set everything in motion. Even when I first came into contact with the topics at POWTECH at the time, I realised that this was about really existential things, unlike jewellery manufacturing,’ Marianny Eisenhofer enthuses. Internationality is also important to her. Above all, however, she felt the passion of the young team organising POWTECH from the outset, and soon also that of the first exhibitors and representatives of associations and non-profit sponsors. ‘I simply love it when enthusiastic people come together and can contribute to their success.’ She realises that much of what she has learned in her life to date will benefit her in her new job.

Marianny Eisenhofer with six other players in a sports hall — Preferably as a team, not just as young people playing sport. ‘I love it when I can contribute to the success of enthusiastic people,’ says Marianny Eisenhofer (upper row, right).

At the forefront of POWTECH TECHNOPHARM: enthusiasm for tangible technology

In everything she has done so far, she has always recognised the importance of a company's commercial success. Throughout her career, she has learnt that there is also a certain appreciation in this. ‘What I contribute here as Director Exhibitions at POWTECH TECHNOPHARM must benefit the company and therefore also the many people who are connected to the trade fair - directly as employees or indirectly as customers and visitors,’ she explains, adding: ’But for that to happen, I really have to stand behind what I do. I can't sell anyone something I'm not convinced of.’ She would rather say honestly: ‘This trade fair is not the right place for you, before someone has a negative experience as a paying customer.

She is counting on the positive development of the pharmaceutical industry and the - once again - growing importance of pharmaceutical production in Europe. ‘The strong emphasis on pharmaceutical technology through the revitalisation of the TECHNOPHARM brand will mean that POWTECH TECHNOPHARM will grow. It will continue to gain in importance and help bring the right people together.’

She does not hide the fact that the economic and global political developments are causing her stomach ache. Her insights into the reality of life in Venezuela - with high inflation and political unrest - give her a broad horizon. People are suffering there. That is why she has been involved in the Venezuela en Baviera association since 2019, which provides support on migration issues, among other things. ‘I recognise the privileges we have here in Germany. We can set the course to remain competitive worldwide. There are so many bright minds here who sometimes just need to think ahead,’ Eisenhofer suggests. She would like to see more courage for unconventional solutions ‘out of the box’, for a younger, more provocative approach to a new generation of customers. ‘Spread your passion, spread the emotions that a new, perfectly functioning machine triggers in you. Talk about the opportunities for future users when everything runs perfectly in their production in the future,’ she tells the community.

‘Spread your passion, spread your emotions!’

POWTECH TECHNOPHARM and NürnbergMesse's international processing network will provide plenty of additional impetus. ‘International business in particular benefits from the personal encounters at the trade fair in Germany and our sister events in Brazil, China and Greece.’ Marianny Eisenhofer is convinced that these events will be even more eventful than today and even more clearly focussed on networking in the coming years.

Her accumulated life experience? ‘You have to go through the valley sometimes. Only then will you eventually reach the top of the mountain.’ This does not just apply to refuelling in the Allgäu. She has also experienced ups and downs in the trade fair business. Yes, the ascent can be exhausting. But the view when you have made it is all the more beautiful and satisfying. At the start of POWTECH TECHNOPHARM 2025 in September, Marianny Eisenhofer wants to savour this feeling to the full together with her team and everyone who has made this start possible.

Author

Dr. Ulla Reutner

Chemist and freelance specialised journalist