At the UIBC Congress held in Munich during the iba trade show, the association elected its new president, Dominique Anract, who replaces Günther Koerfferas. Gerhard Schenk (Germany) is the new Deputy President and Jose Maria Fernandez Del Vallado (Spain) was reelected as Secretary General. The newly-elected Vice Presidents are: Silvan Hotz (Switzerland), Roland Ermer (Germany), Mohammad Javad Karami (Iran), Troy Kao (Taiwan), Eduardo Villar (Spain) and Rui Gonçalves (Brazil). The President of CIPAN (current President of the CIPU – Uruguay), Alvaro Pena, has been appointed High Representative of UIBC.
Dominique Anract, who served as Deputy President of UIBC before this new role, is also President of the CEBP – European Confederation of National Bakery and Confectionery Organizations, President of CNBPF – Confédération Nationale de la Boulangerie-Pâtisserie Française, member of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris, President of the Île-de-France baking region, President of the Patisserie Association of Greater Paris Chefs, among many roles he has been holding.
Over the course of two terms as President of the French bakers, he was able to advance a series of key issues, among others, related to the defense, image and necessary differentiation of the profession. They included artisanal knowledge and adding the baguette on the UNESCO Intangible Heritage list, certified quality standards for the “Boulanger de France” brand, keeping businesses open during the COVID period, obtaining aid and support funds, progress in the collective (social) agreement and hiring of apprentices, negotiations for the tariff shield in the face of the increase in energy prices, eco-responsibility initiatives and Corporate Social Responsibility in general, among others.
Anract stated that the main priorities he proposes are guidelines that result from general consensus: “Strengthen and structure changes between us, in person, but also through the creation of tools of digital information (UIBC News) about the successes, initiatives and even difficulties that each of the members may encounter, strengthen statistical tools and figures, so that the media can talk about the bakery more often, organize systematic exchanges on the priorities and communication campaigns of each one, systematically involve influential local personalities, national and local authorities, journalists, suppliers, partners, etc., in some of the meetings, the promotion of international professional competitions, promotion of talents, humanization, reflecting on the internationalization of certain concepts, figures, know-how, recipe bases, suppliers, training, financing, etc. and very quickly organizing an International Baking and Pastry Congress in Paris.”
During his recent visits, he highlighted the values that bakers worldwide share: high standards of food quality and transparency, artisanal know-how, training, attractiveness, transmission, proximity to the customer, modernity in the maintenance of traditions, which are a common heritage, as well as the passion for the profession, which is governed by modern trends and was voted their favorite by consumers in France.
Photo: UIBC
