SCHWARZKOPF PROFESSIONAL BECOMES EXCLUSIVE SPONSOR

OF THE HAIR EXPO AWARDS

The long-term deal includes sponsorship of all thirteen Hair Expo award categories, an extension of the awards’ name to ‘Schwarzkopf Professional Hair Expo Awards’, the exclusive sponsorship of the awards ceremony gala event and after party on June 8, as well as co-hosting the finalist announcement function in March. The alliance will also mean the return of Schwarzkopf Professional to the exhibition floor over the June long weekend.

“We are excited to welcome Schwarzkopf Professional as our new awards sponsor, and the Schwarzkopf Professional Hair Expo Awards will continue to crown the most outstanding achievers of our industry”, commented Julia Erben, Event Director of Hair Expo.

“Schwarzkopf Professional lives and breathes the passion for hair and we are thrilled to bring this night of nights to the industry”, added Bianca Panozzo, Marketing Director for Schwarzkopf Professional. “In 2009, Schwarzkopf Professional is celebrating our 111th birthday. We look forward to bringing the industry together, rewarding the outstanding talents and highlighting a grand history of creativity, innovation and success.”

The Hair Expo Awards, now in their 24^th year, are the leading and longest running hairdressing awards in Australasia and have been independently conducted by Hair Expo since the very beginning. The highly experienced Hair Expo team will maintain exclusive responsibility for the implementation and management of the awards process. Hair Expo will continue to co-ordinate nominations and submissions, as well as the appointment of the 20-strong, brand independent judging panel. As previously, the judging process will be audited by independent consultants Ernst & Young.

Internationally, Schwarzkopf Professional is renowned for establishing prestigious awards that support the cream of the hair industry. It sponsors leading awards in eighteen countries around the globe, including the world-renowned British Hairdressing Awards. These are successfully run as an alliance between Schwarzkopf Professional and the British Hairdressing Journal, which, like Hair Expo Australia, is owned by global communications company, Reed Elsevier.

Brian Thomas, Commercial Director of Reed Exhibitions Australia says: ”The alliance with Hair Expo builds on the positive experience that Reed Elsevier and Schwarzkopf Professional have accumulated during their co-operation in the UK. Both partners have a proven passion for the industry and a will to elevate the absolute best talent in an objective awards procedure.”

“2009 has already seen a record number of nominations and requests for entry. Reed Exhibitions feels enormous pride in running these prestigious awards and the team at Hair Expo is excited to see the submissions and present them to the independent jury panel” says Erben.

The 2009 Schwarzkopf Professional Hair Expo Awards process is already well under way, with entries closing on March 2.

For further information go to www.hairexpoaustralia.com or call the hotline: 02 9422 2859 or email on hairexpo@reedexhibitions.com.au.