Committees and Secretariat

Afera’s mission is carried out by a steering committee headed by the President of the Association and supported by two additional bodies, the Marketing and Technical Committees. Full-time logistical support is provided by Afera’s Secretariat which resides at Afera’s head office in The Hague, The Netherlands, under the management of Lejeune Association Management (LAM).

Complying with Competition Law

Afera and its members adhere to a policy of strict compliance with European Community Competition Law (Articles 81 and 82 of the EC Treaty) in all of its operations.
Download Afera Antitrust Guidelines

Steering Committee

Afera’s Steering Committee (SC) consists of delegates from ‘active member’ companies, who serve two-year terms of office. The national manufacturing groups of the various regions mentioned below each nominate one candidate. Nomination is subject to election by the General Assembly by an absolute majority. Chaired by a president and vice-president, the SC generally meets twice a year and is entrusted with decisions concerning the working programme of the Association. The SC may appoint necessary advisory committees in which all members are entitled to be represented. Currently there are two such committees, the Marketing Committee and the Technical Committee.

Members of the Steering Committee

Marketing Committee

Afera’s Marketing Committee (MKC) is composed of marketing and industry specialists with the mission to 'grow the pie' for all companies in the European adhesive tape value chain, including both commodity and specialty tape producers. The MKC meets at least two times a year and is assisted by the Secretary-General of the Association. Its topic-driven agenda is pursued through working groups (WGs) established on the following: Social Media Programme, Website Management, Education Awareness, Membership Recruitment, General Communications and Annual Conference. Each MKC Member is committed to one or more of the WGs, which meet and work between regular MKC meetings.

Members of the Marketing Committee

Chairman Jacques Geijsen - American Biltrite Inc.
Sharon Boyle - Advance Tapes International Ltd.
Alicia Tissot - Advance Tapes International Ltd.
Aris Venetis - Atlas Tapes SA
Evert Smit- Lohmann GmbH & Co KG
Stefan Neuner - NEENAH Performance Materials
Stefan Meirsman - Nitto Europe N.V.
Suresh Subramanian - Organik Kimya San. Ve TIC. A.Ş.
Aldo Mazzocchi - tesa Western Europe B.V.
Matthias von Schwerdtner - tesa SE
Melanie Lack - H.B. Fuller Deutschland GmbH
Martha Sloboda - Scapa PLC
Sonja Santhiram - Sekisui Alveo AG
Beverley Weaver, TSRC (Lux) Coporation S.a.r.l.
Florian Heller, Mondi Group

Technical Committee

Afera's Technical Committee (TC) is a working group of technical experts assisted by the Secretary General of the Association that also meets at least two times a year. All technical subjects, such as test methods development, and publication and application of European and GTF standards, are matters for the TC’s agenda. The TC also handles all industry-related regulatory matters, including legislation originating from national or European bodies, as well as private and global initiatives.

Members of the Technical Committee

Chairman Reinhard Storbeck, tesa SE
Evert Smit, Lohmann GmbH & Co. KG
Ralf Roenisch, Coroplast Fritz Müller GmbH & Co. KG
Lutz Jacob - Consultant to Afera TC on standardisation issues
Alan Gilding, Advance Tapes International Ltd.
Zia Hussain, Ashland UK Ltd.
Ingrid Geuens, Avery Dennison België N.V.
Thomas Christ, BASF Aktiengesellschaft
Thorsten Meier, Certoplast Vorwerk & Sohn GmbH
Hubertus von Voithenberg, ChemQuest Group Inc
Hany Necola, Dow Adhesives and Functional Polymers
Gert-Jan van Ruler, DRT
Koos Siera, Eastman Chemical B.V.
Jürgen Pomorin, Evonik Industries AG
Uwe Maurieschat, Fraunhofer Institute IFAM
Jeff Burrington, HB Fuller UK
David Vanraes, Henkel AG & Co. KGaA
Axel Hessland, IVK/FEICA
Ian Grace, Bostik B.V.
Lucio Trincia, NAR SpA
Michael Raidt, Neenah Gessner GmbH
Michel Sabo, Nitto Europe N.V.
Yasemin Seyren, Organik Kimya
Andrea Lackner, Mondi Group
Danny Beekman, Kraton Chemical B.V.
Teoman Köksal, A&G Ambalaj San. Tic. Ltd. Sti. 
Costas Yiannopoulos, Atlas Tapes SA

Secretariat

Afera’s Secretariat is responsible for the daily management of the Association and operates on behalf of Afera’s SC and the other committees. The Secretariat serves as the co-ordinator and contact point for most of Afera’s events, activities, and publications.

Based in The Hague, the Netherlands, Afera’s Secretariat is operated by Lejeune Association Management (LAM), which provides full management and office resources to associations which lack the scope, manpower, and/or financial means to run the administrative and functional structures of their organisations independently. LAM's mission is to provide management services and expertise to industry and professional associations in the broadest sense.

Afera Secretariat staff members

Astrid Lejeune, Secretary General
Elke Verbaarschot, Marketing Communications Manager
Mark Macaré, Public Affairs Manager
Stephanie Feith, Management Assistant
Selma Ugur, Financial Support

Afera External Support

Bathsheba Fulton, Independent Communications Specialist
Bert van Loon, Independent Strategist
Elisabetta Caminiti, Annual Conference Support