The IBIA AGM & Board Meeting
The AGM received and endorsed IBIA’s Annual Report, and approved the statement of accounts and financial report. It was announced that three new Board Members were approved for election to the Board;
- Mustafa Muhtaroglu, CEO Energy Petrol
- Bob Sanguinetti, CEO and Captain of the Port of Gibraltar
- Henrik Zederkof, CEO Dan-Bunkering
They will all join the IBIA Board on 1 April, 2016.
The Chairman elect Robin Meech thanked outgoing IBIA Chairman Jens Maul Jørgensen, Director of the Bunker Department, Oldendorff Carriers GmbH & Co. KG at the IBIA dinner, for his strong leadership and direction over the last two years.
Mr Meech thanked Patrick Holloway, Partner with Webber Wentzel Attorneys, a member of the board of IBIA for his efforts in steering the emerging success of IBIA in Africa.
He also thanked Dilip Mody, Hon Treasurer recognising his valued support and significant contribution over recent years. Dilip stands down on the 31st March, 2016.
Board Meeting developments
One topic the meeting addressed was the subject of IBIA working groups.
IBIA’s working groups are vitally important to IBIA’s strategy and objectives. Led and comprised of members from across all sectors, each group focuses on a different subject. Through research and discussion reflecting the views of members within the association’s policies, they formulate IBIA’s position on key industry issues, they influence industry-wide policy and they share their specialist knowledge with other members.
At present we have working groups focused on;
- Environment, safety and alternative fuels
- Legal – terms of reference
- Education and training
- Regional management: Asia and Africa
- Events and marketing
However, as IBIA’s membership grows, industry issues multiply and new regulations come into force, it has been agreed that these groups should be reviewed and restructured to meet future requirements.
This also comes at a time when the membership are volunteering to be involved.
IBIA’s new working group structure
The working groups are now divided into inward facing groups which support the operational management of the association and outward facing working groups which support our membership and interaction with other stakeholders. They meet as often and as frequently as the members feel necessary, which is influenced by workload, subjects to be discussed and the development of discussions.
Click on the link to see the new IBIA Working Groups structure: The IBIA working groups.
Each box on the diagram denotes a new working group.
Peter Hall, Chief Executive of IBIA explains that this expansion and development is a natural progression as the association grows and changes from being a small to medium sized industry body to a large international organization, representing over 760 diverse organisations and members in 80 countries.
Today IBIA not only represents members’ interests but also takes an active industry lead, working more closely with legislators and regulators to address issues in a pragmatic manner.
He adds that it also reflects the pace of change in the industry. For over 100 years, fuels have simply meant fossil fuels, but today, with increasingly tough emissions regulations and considerable R&D into alternative fuel types, the industry is facing many challenges with numerous potential solutions.
IBIA’s working groups will be integral to addressing those challenges, and to helping build a business-friendly industry for the future.
With three quarters of the membership expressing a wish to join working groups, now is the time to get involved. It’s not too late, please let us know, contact us at ibia@ibia.net
A big thank you to all those who have expressed an interest in getting involved in one of the working groups, if you have advised you would like to be involved we will be in touch shortly