Panadda Kongma is a senior business executive with over 15 years of experience across ASEAN. She currently serves as Vice President at VNU Asia Pacific, where she leads international exhibitions and industry platforms across multiple sectors. Her experience spans P&L ownership, commercial sales, marketing, operations and cross-border joint ventures, as well as close collaboration with both private and government stakeholders. Known for her strong commercial judgment and practical approach to risk management, she is a trusted C-level partner who focuses on building long-term value through collaboration and sustainable growth.
You have spent more than a decade shaping major exhibitions and conferences across ASEAN. What first drew you to the exhibitions and events industry, and what has kept you motivated throughout your career?
I didn’t plan to work in exhibitions at the beginning, it kind of found me. My education background was Political Sciences so I only plan to continue my career with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or Ministry of Interior. What drew me in was the energy. You put the right people in one room, and things happen very quickly. Deals, ideas, partnerships, sometimes even lifelong friendships. What keeps me motivated is that no two events are ever the same. Markets change, industries evolve and in ASEAN especially, every country has its own personality. That keeps the work interesting and keeps me learning. Seeing an event grow from an idea into something that truly helps an industry move forward is still very satisfying.
In your role as Vice President at VNU Asia Pacific, you oversee key international trade shows, including those serving the petfood and agribusiness sectors. How do exhibitions contribute to innovation and knowledge exchange within the petfood industry today?
Exhibitions today are much more than buying and selling. In the petfood industry, they are where science, business and real market needs meet. You have ingredient suppliers talking to manufacturers, vets sharing insights and brands listening directly to what the market wants. Conferences and seminars help turn complex nutrition or sustainability topics into practical ideas. Very often, the most valuable conversations don’t happen on stage, but over coffee (or good wine) on the show floor. That’s where real learning and collaboration usually begin.
The petfood market in Southeast Asia is growing rapidly. From your perspective, what are the most important trends currently shaping the region’s petfood industry, both in terms of products and consumer expectations?
The biggest change is how people see their pets—as friends and family. That sounds simple, but it changes everything. Pet owners now care more about ingredients, quality and health benefits, not just price. Premium and functional products are growing fast. At the same time, consumers want to understand where the food comes from and whether they can trust the brand. Another interesting trend is localisation: global brands adapting products to local tastes, habits and price points. Southeast Asia is diverse, and the industry is learning to respect that.
Sustainability, traceability and future food concepts are becoming central themes across global exhibitions. How is VNU Asia Pacific integrating these priorities into its pet and agrifood-related events?
We try to keep sustainability practical, not just a buzzword. In our pet and agrifood events, we design conference programmes around real topics like responsible sourcing, traceability alternative proteins, and what ‘future food’ actually means for businesses today. We encourage exhibitors to show real solutions, not just nice slogans. Recently, VNU Asia Pacific received a Green Leadership Award and launched our ESG Annual Report, which reflects how seriously we take this commitment. On our side, we also work on making events themselves more sustainable—step by step, and in a realistic way.
Looking ahead, what do you see as the biggest opportunity and the biggest challenge for the petfood industry in ASEAN, and how can industry events help stakeholders navigate this evolving landscape?
The opportunity is huge—more pets, more educated consumers and strong growth across the region. The challenge is that ASEAN is not one market. Regulations, standards and maturity levels are very different from country to country. That can be confusing, especially for companies expanding regionally. Industry events help by bringing everyone into the same conversation. They create a space to share knowledge, align expectations and learn from each other. Sometimes, one good conversation at an event can save months of trial and error.
