New president of CAOBISCO articulates today s challenges

In an exclusive interview with ConfectioneryNews.com, Filippo Cerulli Irelli, the new president of CAOBISCO talks about challenges facing the € 45.4 bn chocolate, biscuit and confectionery industry in the 21st century, and how this leading European trade association intends to stay ahead of the times, supporting its members along the road to growth. Since the inception of CAOBISCO nearly 50 years ago, the European market has witnessed the post-war acceleration of productivity in the 50s and 60s, the food mountains of the 70s and 80s, and now the glaring view of a global food industry getting to grips with soaring prices for energy and raw materials.


For Fillippo Cerulli, the first priority as he embarks on his tenure as CAOBISCO president is to add value to the association, enabling it to evolve, adapt, and reflect new requests from members. “If we analyse the last few years, we observe much change in our markets and structure,” he told ConfectioneryNews.com. Regional markets are now national, and very often European, markets. In parallel, the problems, and their size, have changed, continues Cerulli (source: ConfectioneryNews.com).


In June 2008, Filippo Cerulli Irelli was elected to president of CAOBISCO. He joined Barilla and “began a long and challenging career as raw materials buyer” in 1987. Cerulli then moved to the position of Purchasing Director. From 2004 - 2007, he was located in Germany, as Purchasing Director of the Kamps Group. He is currently based in Italy. Cerulli Irelli has been very active in CAOBISCO. He started in the CAOBISCO Raw Material Committee in 1988, where in recent times he has held the position of Chair as well as co-chairing the Economic Affairs Committee.


At the same meeting Malachy McReynolds stepped down as President and will now occupy the role of Vice-President for a further 2 years. CAOBISCO thanked Mr. McReynolds for his energy, enthusiasm and professionalism. McReynolds is Managing Director of Elizabeth Shaw Ltd, the manufacturer of fine chocolates. Furthermore, the Council of Presidents elected Mr. Stefan Golonka as CAOBISCO’s first Vice-President. Golonka joined Kraft Foods Polska in 1992 and in 1994 became the Managing Director of the Polish business. Previous to Kraft, Stefan spent 17 years in Agros, working in different functions, the most recent being Commercial Director of the company. Jacques Ruh stepped down as Vice-President, after six years activities in the roles as both President and Vice-President.