About Us
WHAT WE DO
Empowering Industries Through Events
ATEX International Exhibitions delivers high-impact B2B and B2C events across the Middle East and North Africa, connecting industries and creating opportunities in sectors like construction, design, healthcare, and consumer markets.
EXHIBITIONS
Showcasing Sectors. Shaping Futures.
For over 20 years, ATEX International Exhibitions has delivered world-class events ranging from 1,000 to 30,000 sqm. With a growing portfolio across five countries, we specialise in exhibitions for the construction, design, healthcare, laboratory, and consumer sectors.
CONFERENCES
Conversations That Shape Industries
ATEX International Exhibitions integrates education into every event, hosting standalone and exhibition-linked conferences that offer industry professionals valuable insights and learning opportunities.
MANAGED EVENTS
Delivered with Precision, Powered by Experience
From concept to execution, our team brings deep expertise in planning, logistics, branding, and audience engagement to ensure your event is impactful, professional, and seamlessly delivered.
Specialists in driving business into growing markets and niche sectors
Our business and consumer platforms deliver medium to large-scale exhibitions, conferences, managed events, digital marketplaces and marketing services.
ATEX International Exhibitions as a major player in the region can now, through its role in UFI, use its wealth of experience to help lift and support fellow aspiring business leaders and raise standards across the region
OUR STORY
From Vision to Legacy: The ATEX Story
From a small startup in Tripoli to a leading exhibitions organiser in the MENA region, the ATEX story is one of vision, growth, and impact. Since 2001, we've been building platforms that connect industries and shape opportunities across borders.
Our Management Team
Our journey began in 2001, when two ambitious entrepreneurs, Firas Elmortadi and Maged Mahfoud, launched a small startup in Tripoli following the lifting of US economic sanctions on Libya. With no exhibitions industry and minimal private sector activity, they worked tirelessly to build what would become ATEX International Exhibitions.
By 2003, as the Libyan market opened up, ATEX was officially established — leading to the launch of LibyaBuild, the country’s largest and most influential economic event.
Following the success of the first LibyaBuild, ATEX set its sights internationally, launching the Industrial Cities Exhibition in Abu Dhabi in 2007. However, after Libya’s major infrastructure investment announcement, international expansion was paused to focus on local opportunities.
ATEX’s expertise continued to grow, earning UFI membership in 2008 — the first private Libyan exhibition company to receive this global recognition. LibyaBuild rapidly became the country’s flagship international event, hosting thousands of global exhibitors and facilitating contracts worth billions. Through strong partnerships with public and private sectors, ATEX secured its position as the leading exhibitions company in North Africa.
One of ATEX’s greatest milestones was relocating LibyaBuild from Tripoli International Fairgrounds to a custom-built, 30,000 sqm exhibition venue at Tripoli Sports City — a bold transformation led with the support of our late partner, Mr. Tonio Casapinta.
In 2012, ATEX and Casapinta Design Group formed PanExpo, a joint venture that reflected Tonio’s vision and leadership in the industry. His legacy continues to inspire us.
The 2014 edition marked the final LibyaBuild before a pause due to national instability. Despite the challenges, ATEX successfully delivered a decade of world-class exhibitions, prioritising quality, safety, and an exceptional experience for global exhibitors and visitors.
In April 2015, ATEX shifted its base to Dubai after closing operations in Tripoli due to conflict, marking the start of an ambitious international expansion. Quickly establishing a presence across the MENA region, ATEX launched a successful portfolio of business and educational events across sectors like construction, healthcare, hospitality, and sports in Algeria, Kuwait, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the UAE.
In 2017, Managing Director Maged Mahfoud was elected Vice-Chair of UFI’s Middle East & Africa Chapter — a recognition of ATEX’s leadership in the industry and its commitment to elevating regional exhibition standards.
Today, ATEX International Exhibitions stands as a powerhouse in the exhibitions industry, having successfully organized over 100 events across the MENA region.
Each year, our exhibitions welcome over 70,000 visitors and bring together 2,000+ exhibitors from more than 40 countries, spanning a wide range of industry sectors — including construction, healthcare, hospitality, education, fitness, and technology.
With a reputation for delivering high-quality platforms for business growth, knowledge exchange, and international collaboration, ATEX continues to shape industries and connect global markets through world-class events.
Soon after the first edition of LibyaBuild, we decided to take our business overseas and began organising international exhibitions abroad. Abu Dhabi was the chosen location to host the first Industrial Cities Exhibition at ADNEC in 2007. However, following Libya’s announcement to allocate an enormous budget towards the building of infrastructure in the country, it was decided to postpone all future projects in the UAE.
ATEX continued to grow from strength to strength, calling on its depth of experience in the sector and soon became a member of UFI, The Global Association of the Exhibition Industry. ATEX is the first private exhibition company from Libya to be honoured with this prestigious membership which came about during the European Seminar in Greece, May 2008.
LibyaBuild continued to flourish and quickly established itself as the only international specialised platform that welcomes thousands of international exhibitors to Libya from all over the globe. The platform facilitated the signing of contracts worth billions of US dollars during its 10 editions, encompassing both public and private sector organisations. During this time we were able to build strong and successful relationships based on trust with all partners, agents, supporting associations, governmental bodies and the private sector which made us the number one events company in North Africa.
The biggest challenge in the history of ATEX International Exhibitions was the ambitious plan to move Libya Build from its birth place at the grounds of Tripoli International Fair to its new home, transforming the grounds of Tripoli Sports City into a 5 star exhibition venue covering 30,000 square meters.
This challenge wouldn’t be possible without the hard work, enthusiasm and professionalism of our beloved & inspirational partner, the late Mr Tonio Casapinta. Such was our close relationship with Tonio that in 2012, PanExpo was established as a Joint Venture between ATEX International Exhibitions and Casapinta Design Group of Malta. Tonio was the Founder and Chairman of Casapinta Design Group, The Director of PanExpo (Malta) and he was also the Vice President of the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry. He was well loved and is missed by all who knew him.
The 2014 edition of LibyaBuild was unfortunately the last edition of a decade of 10 high-profile events. The hiatus in our Tripoli events has been due to the uncertainty and instability in the country, but we are proud to have delivered premium level exhibitions with exponentially increasing visitors whilst always ensuring safety and security is at the forefront of our planning.
Our dedicated team were able to deliver on our aspirations and bring to life our vision to bring a high quality experience to our thousands of exhibitors and visitors from around the world.
In April 2015, ATEX returned to the UAE but this time to the bright lights of the city state, Dubai. Operations in Tripoli were shut down due to the conflict and it was time for ATEX to develop and explore its international potential in what would prove to be a very ambitious and exciting journey. In a short period of time we were able to open new markets in the MENA region and build a successful portfolio for both business and educational events and provide unique platforms to do business, network and learn.
Our diverse and dynamic exhibitions and conferences cover sectors such as Building & Construction, Healthcare, Hospitality and Fitness & Sports in Algeria, Kuwait, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and UAE.
In 2017, ATEX Managing Director, Maged Mahfoud, was elected as a vice-chair for the Middle East & Africa Chapter of UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry. This privileged position affirms ATEX as a major player in the region and can now, through its role in UFI, use its wealth of experience to help lift and support fellow aspiring business leaders and raise standards across the region.
The Management Team
Our Story
Our story with the exhibition industry began in 2001, where two young aspiring entrepreneurs decided to start a small start-up business in Tripoli immediately after the lifting of US economic sanctions on Libya. During that period the country had little to no private sector business activity and certainly no exhibitions market since the early 1980’s.
The founders and the directors of ATEX International Exhibitions, Firas Elmortadi & Maged Mahfoud, worked around the clock with the determination to succeed and build a solid base for the fledgling company.
Within a few years the Libyan market was opening up fast and international companies began to do business in the country. This led, in 2003, to the organisational of the company and later the birth of the country's largest and most prominent economic event in Libya’s history - LibyaBuild.