EFBW, which represents the interests of bottled water producers in Europe, will be led by Jean-Pierre Deffis for the next two years. The appointment follows an official approval of his candidacy by EFBW’s membership during its Annual General Meeting in Istanbul on 20 June 2014.
Mr. Deffis, a French national, is the current president of the French Bottled Waters Association and will depart this role to take on the leadership of the European Federation. He has been a long-standing and well-respected member of EFBW’s Board for many years and more recently led the Federation’s Task Force charged with streamlining its internal governance. Deffis previously held high-ranking positions at Danone Waters France, Bledina, Group Mahou and San Miguel and Kronenbourg Spain.
He follows in the footsteps of Hubert Genieys, who was at the helm of EFBW from 2010 and who played a pivotal role in introducing a clear strategy and roadmap. These clearly focused the work of the Federation toward raising the promotion of natural mineral and spring waters to a new level, educating on the specificities and essential role of these waters when it comes to healthy hydration, as well as highlighting the sector’s pioneering role in the field of sustainability.
In response to his appointment, Mr. Deffis commented: “I am honoured to have been elected to be the President of the European Federation of Bottled Waters. My objective in this new role is to develop our category of natural bottled water and to promote it as the best source of hydration for the consumer when health issues are of increasing concern to all consumers. With the help of our national associations and the water companies, I am very confident we will succeed in achieving this goal at a European level.”
EFBW’s Secretary General Patricia Fosselard adds: “EFBW is very pleased that Mr. Deffis will be guiding the sector through what promises to be a very exciting period in the history of the Federation, as the sector embarks on a number of ambitious projects, including our efforts to assist the European Commission with the development and testing of its Product Environmental Footprint.
“We are also very grateful to our departing President Hubert Genieys, whom we applaud for his dedication and leadership and above all thank for his vision.”
Source: EFBW
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024