Andreas Weber new World President of The Textile Institute

17 May '10

4 min read

At The Textile Institute's 100th Birthday AGM on Monday the 10th May, Mr Andreas Weber CText FTI, senior vice president sales, marketing and parts, and a member of the Executive Board of SwissTex Winterthur AG, Switzerland was unanimously voted in by the membership of The Textile Institute as its new World President.

Concurrently Mr John R Wilson OBE deputy chairman of UKFT was also unanimously voted in to the position of Chair of Council of The Textile Institute. On becoming President Andreas stated 'I am extremely pleased to have received the trust of the Council and members of The Textile Institute on being elected the 54th World President and being the third Swiss coming in to this role.' He went on to say 'I was told that my role as a World President is rather an ambassadorial one which I will aim to fulfil alongside my duties at SwissTex. However, I also trust The Textile Institute has in Mr John Wilson the most capable and experienced person to lead the operative tasks and duties required within our organisation together with the experienced staff at the International Headquarters in Manchester. This year is a very special and important year for The Textile Institute, one in which we aim to portray the industry as youthful, sustainable and long lasting.'

Celebrating its 100th Anniversary in 2010 The Textile Institute, its Sections and Special Interest Groups worldwide will be organising special events, culminating in the Institute's World Conference taking place in Manchester in November, immediately followed by the Parliamentary Lunch at the Houses of Parliament in London. Manchester is not only the historic birthplace of the Institute but also continues to be the home of its international headquarters. The Institute is also a registered charity and gained Royal Chartered status in 1925, allowing members to gain chartered qualifications (becoming an Associate, or a Fellow, as well as a non-Chartered Qualification of Licentiate). On the day before the Institute's AGM the Institute held a special Lord Major's Civic Reception and Dinner Dance at Manchester Town Hall. Organised by the Manchester and Cheshire Section the event was a great success drawing international attendance from Greece, New Zealand and the USA. The evening celebrated everything that the Institute has achieved in 100 years and is yet to achieve as it moves forward into a new period of growth and development of the services offered.

On the evening the Lord Major, Councillor Alison Firth, welcomed everyone to Manchester and commented 'It is fitting that The Textile Institute is celebrating its 100th birthday in the city where the Institute was founded.' She talked about Manchester as a cosmopolitan city, where cotton had been the basis of growth and wealth, mentioning some of the historical connections 'Manchester is a city where Mr Rolls first met Mr Royce in the Midland Hotel, to form Rolls Royce, in the same hotel where your Institute was formed (and where the Centenary Conference will be held in November). From a city linked with the cotton trade Manchester has diversified into a city with an impressive commercial and financial base.' The Institute may be celebrating one hundred years but is today a vital, enlivened and important organisation providing a truly global network for the fast moving, international textile industry.

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