IAADFS adds to Board of Directors
The International Association of Airport and Duty Free Stores (IAADFS) has announced the addition of three new board members from the supplier community to its Board of Directors.
These new board members, whose two-year terms take effect this year, will mark the first time that the organization’s supplier partners have seats as voting members of the association’s Board of Directors. According to Michael Payne, President & CEO, IAADFS, “While our supplier partners have long been members of the association, have served on several advisory committees, and have been strong supporters throughout the years, this represents an expanded role and vital addition to the board.”
The new members of the Board of Directors are Greg Ford, General Manager – Travel Retail Americas, Pernod Ricard; Felipe Grant, General Manager, Puig Travel Retail Americas; and Markus Suter, Market Manager GTR – The Americas, Lindt.
“The addition of these three talented and well-respected members of the duty free and travel retail industry, all from prestigious and major industry companies, will be invaluable additions to the board and our deliberations. This is particularly relevant as we examine how to best respond to the changes and opportunities confronting our industry and evaluate the services that we provide to our members,” said Rene Reidi, Chairman, IAADFS. “We very much appreciate their support and interest in becoming active members of the Board of Directors. These appointments will bring a varied and in-depth knowledge of their sectors and the overall industry to IAADFS as we adapt to the ever-changing nature of our business.”
Felipe is an accomplished professional with 20 years of experience in the beauty industry. He has held positions with renowned companies such as L’Occitane and LVMH. Since 2020, he has been appointed General Manager Travel Retail Americas with Puig. His leadership and vision have been instrumental in the company’s retail development, driving the transformation of leading houses including Carolina Herrera, Rabanne, Jean Paul Gaultier and Penhaligon’s.
Markus is a seasoned travel retail expert, having worked for more than 13 years with Lindt. For the last ten years Markus has been based in Brazil, where he has had responsibility for travel retail within the Americas. Over the years, Markus has successfully built up Lindt’s business in Latin America as well as North America, helping to establish the company’s strong market position in the region by focusing on premiumization of the channel.
Greg has spent almost 20 years in the liquor industry, including the last nine focused on the travel retail business across Europe and the Americas. Following a decade of working at Diageo, Greg joined Pernod Ricard in 2018 and currently leads their travel retail business in the Americas, based in Miami. Since relocating to the UD from the UK in 2022, he has maintained his role as a strong advocate for the interests of the duty free and travel retail industry throughout the region.
“We could not be more excited and pleased to have these gentlemen be a part of our Board. With their insights and knowledge of the industry they will be a huge part of our plans and direction going forward and we expect to be announcing another new supplier Board member prior to the Summit,” added Payne.
