IELA Bom welcomes two new women onto board of management

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The newly elected IELA board of management proudly confirms three women leaders in the exhibition logistics industry among its members: Mariane Ewbank, former IELA chairwoman 2016-2018, Priscilla Leong and Sandi Trotter, both new members elected for 2019-2021.

During the IELA 34th general assembly, the IELA membership re-elected three of its members and welcomed two new members, both women leaders in the exhibition logistics industry to join the IELA board of management 2019-2021. 

This comes in line with the launch in 2019 of the IELA Power Up programme which aims to empower women in leadership roles. As newly-elected members, their longstanding industry experience and visions are anticipated with enthusiasm as IELA steers its activities into the future.

The members who have been re-elected for a two-year term:

  • Mariane Ewbank, director of Fulstandig Shows e Eventos MC Ltda, Brazil 
  • Jim Kelty, Airways Freight Corporation, USA 
  • Emmanuel Pitchelu, director of E.S.I. Expo Services International, France 

The members elected for the first time, also for a two-year term:

  • Priscilla Leong, Global COO & Finance of Agility Fairs & Events and concurrently the MD of Agility Fairs & Events Logistics, Singapore
  • Sandi Trotter, business development director of TWI Group Inc., Canada 

The members of the BOM remaining for another year:

  • Vicki Bedi, director of PS Bedi Group, India and IELA chairman, 2018-2020
  • Guido Fornelli, managing director of Expotrans S.p.A., Italy
  • Feyzan Erel, general manager and CEO of Gruptrans International Co. Inc., Turkey
  • Christoph Rauch, managing director of BTG Messe-Spedition GmbH, Germany 

Vicki Bedi, IELA chairman 2018-2020, explained, “I am delighted to have Priscilla and Sandi join the IELA Board. Their being elected is a testimony of Women Leadership within IELA. 

“Our ‘Power Up’ programme launched earlier this year is focused on building and bringing out the hidden Women Leadership within IELA. I am proud that we have three women on IELA Board of 9 members.”

Elizabeth Niehaus, executive officer of IELA, commented, “Now 33% of the board is made up of women! We are experiencing Power Up in real time. We are extremely proud of our power trio on the board.”

The 2019-2020 plan for action was discussed during the first BOM Meeting which took place in Venice on Friday, 28th June.

During the general assembly, two new committee members were also elected:

  • Greg Keh, COO of TWI Group Inc., USA
  • Ravinder Sethi, managing director of R.E. Rogers India Pvt. Ltd., India 

Since the 2012 Barcelona edition, the committee is composed of three members. Last year, Markus Eichenberger, from BTG Suisse Ltd., Switzerland, was re-elected and remains in the committee. 

The first meeting of the committee took place the same day of the elections and Ravinder Sethi was designated as Chairperson.

In the IELA structure, the board of management is responsible for everything from strategy to execution with the widest powers to perform all functions for its day-to-day management while the committee has a limited role in internal control only.

Molly Hookings
Author: Molly Hookings

Molly joined the editorial team in March 2019. She has several years’ experience working in broadcast and journalism, as well as marketing and PR. Past experience includes working for the BBC and independent publishing houses. If you have a story you think Molly might be interested in, please email: molly@eventindustrynews.com