Munich, 29 November 2022
Top representatives of sports brands and associations from all over Europe came together for the Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry’s General Assembly (GA), which was held for the first time at ISPO Munich in celebration of the reopening of Europe’s largest sporting goods trade fair. On the agenda: the re-election of the Federation’s Board and President, as well as the adoption of the brand-new FESI Strategic Development Plan for 2023-2025.
“It is a great pleasure for me to have been re-elected as FESI President for another three years”, declared Neil Narriman, FESI President. “It goes without saying that my previous term was marked by many challenges and disruptions at the global and European level. Despite these difficulties, FESI was able to stand firm and support the industry in our various regulatory issues at EU level. But we still have many opportunities to embrace, especially on sustainability and digitalisation. It is therefore a great honor for me to benefit again from the confidence of our members for this new mandate”, he concluded.
During its GA, FESI also elected its new Board composed of five major industry brands’ representatives – Nike, adidas, Puma, Pentland and VF Corp, as well as nine national and regional organisations – Afydad, Assosport, BSI, EOG, FGHS, FSPA, Union Sport & Cycle, Sportsbranchen DK, and VSSÖ.
Three big players of the sporting goods industry also made their entry into this General Assembly following up to their adhesion at FESI in 2022: Intersport, Lululemon and Deichmann.
The meeting was also an opportunity for the FESI Secretariat to present in more details the achievements of the Federation over the past year on the various European regulatory priorities of its members, but also to address the multiple priorities coming up at the European level, among which the conclusion of the Free Trade Agreement between EU and Indonesia, the General Regulation on Product Safety – covering sporting goods, the implementation of the several sustainability initiatives of the European Green Deal or the FESI brand new “StrongHer” campaign[1] on the promotion of sport among young girls.
In conclusion of the GA, FESI unveiled its brand-new Strategic Development Plan designed to shape the future orientation of the Federation towards 2025. Initiated during a strategic workshop in Vienna in May[2], the plan outlines new activities and objectives for the Federation to develop in the next three years on various work-streams, including: the development of new services, the creation of additional working committees and task forces, the reorganisation of the Secretariat’s departments and a new interconnectivity strategy.
FESI also announced the departure of Mark Held, from the European Outdoor Group, who has served as Treasurer and Vice-President of the Federation for many years. Mark Held has been instrumental in the financial management of FESI and in bringing together the outdoor and sporting goods industry in a collaborative spirit. In recognition of his years of service and dedication to FESI, the Board members decided to award him the title of FESI Honorary Life Membership.
[1] https://fesi-sport.org/strongher/
[2] https://fesi-sport.org/fesi-outlines-its-future-strategic-development-plan-for-2022-2025-during-an-extraordinary-meeting-in-vienna/
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About FESI:
The Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry (FESI) is the pre-competitive platform representing the interests of the sporting goods industry in Europe, advancing its members’ priorities and promoting initiatives that benefit the sector, EU citizens and the society as a whole. FESI is the sole stakeholder that provides sporting goods companies with the possibility to leverage their expertise into one steady and coherent voice.
Contact:
Ariane Gatti, FESI Communication Manager / [email protected] /+32 (0)2 762 86 48
