Ottawa, June 1, 2012 — The International Federation of Customs Brokers Associations (IFCBA) held its bi-annual world conference entitled “The Future of Customs Compliance: Business Models and Strategies” in Athens, Greece from May 8-12, 2012. The conference sessions were well attended by participants from all corners of the world, including Argentina, China, Canada, Korea, Mexico, and Nigeria, allowing the IFCBA to provide a global look at compliance and client services. Alongside the world conference, the IFCBA Board of Directors elected a new executive team, including Chairman George Zografos (Greece) and Managing Directors, Pedro Bequengue (Angola), Shantanu Bhadkamkar (India), Soo-Ung Lee (Korea), Vito L. Totorizzo (Italy) and Michel Vallée (Canada). All newly appointed executives will serve a two year term. “When customs brokers gather, their passion and enthusiasm for their profession are highly evident. It is easy to see why so many importers rely on customs brokers to facilitate trade,” says new Chairman George Zografos. “As the newly elected Chairman of the IFCBA, I look forward to continuing our work as the voice of the world’s customs brokers and the many small and medium sized businesses that rely on their expertise and experience.” The IFCBA Board set the association’s direction for the coming year and will focus on building the knowledge base regarding customs broker regulation and border management, including Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) programs and their impact on business in member countries, through research and analysis of findings. The IFCBA continues to work toward enhancing the understanding of the customs broker’s role in facilitating trade and improving trade efficiency. The IFCBA is the only organization representing the views of customs brokers on a worldwide basis and has its secretariat located within the Canadian Society of Customs Brokers.
Media contact: Janice McBride IFCBA Secretariat c/o Canadian Society of Customs Brokers (T) 613-562-3543 email: [email protected]; [email protected]