The General Manager of ABRE (Brazilian Packaging Association), Luciana Pellegrino, assumed today, November 23, as President of WPO (World Packaging Organisation – www.worldpackaging.org), during the Board Meeting in Cape Town, South Africa. Luciana, that is the first woman to assume this position in the Organisation, was elected in May this year, unanimously, in a meeting during interpack. She will replace the Australian Pierre Pienaar that has been ahead of WPO for two consecutive terms, the first began in 2018.
Active in the packaging industry since 1996, when she began her journey in the sector at Bryce Corporation USA, Luciana Pellegrino is graduated in Business Administration, with specialization in Environmental Science. Recently she got a Master in Board of Directors Governance. For more than 20 years, Luciana is the General Manager of ABRE that is a long time member of WPO. Before assuming as President of WPO, Luciana was Senior Vice President Marketing, one of the roles she had during 20 years of experience in the Organisation.
“It is a great honor to be elected by WPO Board as President. In the last 20 years I dedicated to support and strength WPO because I really believe this organisation has an extremely important role and a positive impact in the global packaging community. We will continue all the well succeeded projects and actions conducted by Pienaar in the last years and go beyond”.
One of the pillars of Luciana´s management as President is to get WPO closer to strategic market matters and packaging and consumer goods companies. “This connection with the industry will allow to harmonize a global vision to the sector, always aiming to strength the sector and give power to the members to act positively in their countries.”
According to the new President of WPO, “As president, and working closely to WPO’s Board Members and Secretariat, I aim to strengthen WPO’s strategic partnerships with international bodies, to increase the participation at global events, conferences and trade shows raising the voice of the packaging industry, and at the same time explore different key topics for the organization and for the sector such as governance, technology and innovation.”
To inaugurate this strategic planning, WPO will participate, for the first time, at COP28, in Dubai, on December 9. Counting with Luciana Pellegrino, WPO’s President, and Soha Atalla, Vice President Conferences, WPO will take part of the panel “The role of sustainable food packaging in achieving food security” that will take place at the IAEA Pavilion.
The panel is promoted by UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organization) under the leadership of Ali Badarneh – Unit Leader, and by IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), represented by Carl Blackburn - Food Irradiation Specialist. The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, Al Bayader and WPO’s board member EEG (Emirates Environmental Group), represented by Habiba Al’Mar’Ash, will also take part in the Panel.
Before COP28, Luciana Pellegrino, will also attend, as newly inaugurated WPO President, ASD Packaging Congress 2023 – 2nd International Packaging Industry Congress, organized by WPO member in Turkey and scheduled to December 7-8 in Istanbul; she will deliver the opening speech.