Euro Coop elects new leadership

Press Release

BRUSSELS, 2 July 2012 – At its General Assembly in Oslo, Norway on 21^st June, the consumer co-operative members of Euro Coop unanimously elected Duncan Bowdler of The Co-operative Group (UK) as president for the 2012-2014 term.

The first representative from the United Kingdom to hold the position, Mr Bowdler has served on Euro Coop’s Board for over twenty years and is currently the Trade and Legislation Manager for The Co-operative Food.

Mr Bowdler has also been a Board Director of The Co-operative Group since July 2007 and a Non-Executive Director of The Co-operative Bank since 2009.

Following his election, Mr Bowdler thanked outgoing president Aldo Soldi of Coopfond (IT) for his leadership and pledged to conduct Euro Coop affairs in a democratic, productive and co-operative way.

General Assembly delegates also voted to increase the number of Vice-Presidents from two to three, re-electing Thomas Bagge Olesen of FDB (DK) and electing Peter Stefanov of the Central Co-operative Union (BG) and Enrico Migliavacca of ANCC/COOP (IT).

Members applauded outgoing vice-president Dr Zoltán Zs. Szőke of ÁFEOSZ-COOP (HU) for his four terms of service.

The national organisations of consumer co-operatives in eighteen European countries make up Euro Coop. Founded in 1957, Euro Coop today represents the interests of over 4,500 local and regional co-operatives owned by a total of 30 million consumers across Europe, employing more than 450,000 people and accounting for € 74 billion in annual turnover.

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