Well-known Australian packaging industry figure Pierre Pienaar has been re-elected to serve a second four-year term as World Packaging Organisation president. Joining him on his executive team from Australia is Nerida Kelton, AIP executive director, in the role of VP Sustainability and Save Food.
Pienaar, who was named in PKN's 60 of the Best list published in the PKN November-December 60 Years anniversary issue, is an industry veteran with 30-plus years' experience in the packaging industry. Pienaar has been instrumental in the continued growth and success of packaging education and training around the world – as AIP education director and in more recent years as the president of the World Packaging Organisation.
Pienaar has given his time and knowledge to assist developing countries with packaging education and training and has lectured in the technology and science of packaging at various universities across the globe. He is the recipient of two honorary professorships from international universities.
Speaking to PKN, Pienaar said, "I am thrilled to be given the opportunity to serve another term. I really look forward to implementing more initiatives across the globe, focusing on packaging waste and recycling under the sustainability umbrella.
"I plan to ensure there is more education on packaging, especailly in developing markets in South Ameria, Africa, Arabia, and parts of Asia."
Pienaar also reinforced his mission stablished in November 2017, when he was first elected: to use packaging to eradicate hunger and poverty around the globe.
“We have achieved a lot regarding this goal, especially through packaging education, but there is much more to be done, especially in this pandemic moment. We cannot ignore that some countries still face the extreme inequality of income between professionals and the masses being the biggest contributor toward the low GDP.
"Having this in mind, we need to contemplate how to reduce food wastage through the packaging industry. Packaging alone cannot fix this problem. However, when we consider all elements – design, material, innovative products, technological advancements, responsible, sustainable, reusable, environmentally-friendly packaging – we can explore the opportunities for the packaging industry in the value chain that could get more food to more people aound the globe.”
To put all these plans in action, Pienaar has appointed a team of high level packaging professionals to work with him in the next three years of the second term (2021-2023). WPO's new executive team comprises:
- General Secretary – Johannes Bergmair (Austria)
- Senior Vice President Marketing – Luciana Pellegrino (Brazil)
- Vice President Exhibitions and Conferences – Soha Atallah (Lebanon)
- Vice President Education – Henky Wibawa (Indonesia)
- Vice President Sustainability and Save Food – Nerida Kelton (Australia)
- Press & Communications Liaison Officer – Liliam Benzi (Brazil)
Pienaar has also appointed three WPO ambassadors that can officially represent the organisation in an advisory capacity to President. They are Carls Olsmats (Sweden), Kishan Singh (South Africa) and Chakravarthi AVPS (India). Johannes Bergmair will be responsible for Food Safety (Packaging Hygiene) portfolio and Pienaar will also take care of Awards (WorldStar and WorldStar Students).
