A record attendance and surplus revenues. Board candidates elected unanimously, successful lobbying, structural reform largely on track. No wonder that the outgoing CEPE chairman Jean-Pierre Monteny was supremely confident at this year's annual general meeting (Noordwijk, Holland, 7-9 June), symbolically, yet totally serenely, relinquishing the chairman's hammer to Pierre-Marie De Leener. The SigmaKalon CEO now heads a CEPE board composed of old and new members.

Change of guards: Following his predecessor Jean-Pierre Monteny (right), Pierre-Marie De Leener takes up the CEPE-chairmanship.
Even before the CEPE annual meeting started, the dual leadership of Jean-Pierre Monteny (chair) and Jan van der Meulen (CEO) had scored another success, namely a record attendance of 142 delegates plus (39) partners. Paint manufacturers accounted for roughly one-half, while association representatives made up one-quarter. Some 97 out of 104 eligible votes were either in attendance or represented by proxy vote and so the meeting was quorate - despite the conspicuous absence of the Spanish, who are critical of the new CEPE structure that was agreed in 2005.

The Power of the CEPE

This combination of a favourable tailwind and occasional headwinds typified the event. Jan van der Meulen's address demonstrated the power of the CEPE:

  • REACH - The working group and Issue Managers have unclogged the works and improved confidentiality protection.

  • CAF