NEWS: Annual general meeting 2023

Berlin, November 23, 2023: At today's annual general meeting of the Fashion Council Germany at Berlin's Zoo Palast, a new board was elected after two years. Newly elected were Roel de Cooman, VP Global Sales at haebmau. ATELIER and Simone Hartmann, Managing Partner at Hartmann Consultants. Christiane Arp remains Chairwoman of the Board of Directors, while the previous Board members Dirk Schönberger, Marie-Louise Berg and Theo Grassl were re-elected. Olaf Schmidt, Vice President Textiles & Textile Technologies at Messe Frankfurt, is stepping down from the FCG Board at his own request after five years of voluntary service. The new and old Board would like to thank him for his extraordinary commitment during his years on the Board and is delighted that he will continue to represent the interests of the FCG on the Executive Committee.

Following his election to the Board, Roel de Cooman emphasized: “I would like to thank the members of the FCG for the trust they have placed in me by electing me to the Board. I am very much looking forward to working with my fellow Board members and supporting and advising them with my international expertise in the area of sales”.

Simone Hartmann commented: “With all its national and international activities, the Fashion Council Germany aims to actively promote the exchange of experience and knowledge in the new world of work and to equip and strengthen its members for the future. I find this very worthy of support and am therefore delighted to be able to contribute my many years of industry expertise as a future board member.

The Annual Members' Meeting was all about upheaval and transformation. Chairwoman Christiane Arp and Managing Director Scott Lipinski drew an overall positive balance since the Fashion Council Germany was founded in 2015. Managing Director Scott Lipinski commented: “The Fashion Council Germany has grown exponentially since its foundation and we have realized a large number of projects and events together with our members in recent years. We are looking forward to the new year with renewed vigor and are looking forward to numerous exciting projects with our members and partners.”

The spirit of optimism in the hall was underlined by Berlin's State Secretary for Economic Affairs, Energy and Public Enterprises, Michael Biel, who focused in his speech on the transformation of Berlin Fashion Week through cooperation with the Fashion Council Germany. The meeting was rounded off with a keynote speech by Dr. Christian Ehler, member of the European People's Party and member of the FCG Presidium, as well as an interview with EFA board members Carlo Capasa, Chairman of the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana and Pascal Morand, Executive President of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode.