FEFCO welcomes new secretary general

The board of directors of the Brussels-based European Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers (FEFCO) has announced the appointment of Eleni Despotou as the association’s new secretary general. Despotou starts her position on Feb. 1, and replaces the now retired Angelika Christ, who had been FEFCO secretary general since 2007.

According to FEFCO, Despotou has an in-depth knowledge of European Union institutions and industry associations, having spent more than 20 years in association management and public affairs. Before joining FEFCO, she held positions in other industry groups including associations tied to renewable energy and minerals.

“The board is confident that together with its European members, Eleni will strengthen FEFCO’s position on the Brussels scene and continue raising awareness about the importance of the corrugated board industry among its key stakeholders,” says Fady Gemayel, FEFCO president. “We count on our members’ support and we are looking forward to an excellent and fruitful collaboration.”

Gemayel also thanked the outgoing Christ, saying, “We are all grateful for the many years of dedication in serving our industry with utmost professionalism and contagious passion, and wish her a well deserved and serene retirement.”

FEFCO says it represents the interests of European corrugated board manufacturers by investigating economic, financial, technical and policy issues, analyzing factors that may influence the industry, and promoting and developing the industry’s reputation.

The group says Europe’s corrugated industry makes about 48 billion square meters (516.7 billion square feet) of board per year and touts corrugated cardboard packaging as “circular by nature,” stating, “It is based on a renewable resource; it is recyclable and recycled in reality. The average box today contains on average 89 percent recycled material.”