CONEBI General Assembly paid tribute to Erhard Büchel and Moreno Fioravanti, elected Sylvain Lemenand to the Board, and appointed Massimo Panzeri as President and Chair

CONEBI General Assembly on 22 May 2024 paid tribute to the passing of Erhard Büchel and Moreno Fioravanti and elected Sylvain Lemenand new Member of the Board. Massimo Panzeri was appointed new President of CONEBI and Chair of the Board

Brussels, 3 June 2024 – The CONEBI General Assembly that took place on 22 May 2024 in Istanbul represented a huge moment of sorrow for all the CONEBI Members and Board of Directors due to the passing of Erhard Buchel and Moreno Fioravanti. Their leadership, knowledge and friendship will be missed very much.

The CONEBI General Assembly on 22 May and Board meeting on 21 May also saw the appointment of Massimo Panzeri, CONEBI Board member and CEO of Atala, as new CONEBI President and Chair of the Board. 

Massimo Panzeri, CONEBI President and Chair of the Board, stated: “As CONEBI we will follow the path indicated by Erhard to develop our future. Our work with the EU on legislative and technical matters with the precious backup of our members (national bicycle & parts producers associations) is the background for the future development of our green market. We are the natural counterpart of the EU institution as we represent the national associations and the enormous numbers of producers that are associated with them. Our goal is to have a free and clean market with clear indications on laws and rules.”

Last but not least, the CONEBI General Assembly, among the main decisions, elected Sylvain Lemenand – from Decathlon and candidate by CONEBI’s French member organisation Union Sport & Cycle – as new member of the CONEBI Board, succeeding Didier Morelle.

Sylvain Lemenand, CONEBI Board Member, stated: “Many thanks to CONEBI’s French association Union Sport & Cycle, for validating my candidacy, and thanks also to the CONEBI Board and Members for my approval. I have worked in the bike industry for 18 years, and I will strongly support CONEBI’s main initiatives and be a dedicated representative of the USC to advocate for and advance our common goals.

“More than ever, we need to address the major challenges ahead of us, such as decarbonizing our industry and products, facilitating safe bicycle use, and developing our industry. For many years, CONEBI, with its dialogue with the EU institutions in Brussels, has been able to achieve strong results in supporting the bicycle industry.”

Pedro Araújo, CONEBI Board Member, said: “The election of Massimo and Sylvain constitute a huge asset for CONEBI. Both have been deeply involved in the bicycle sector from renowned companies. May their insights and passion continue to drive positive change in the European bicycle industry!”

Of the same opinion Bayram Akgul, CONEBI Board Member, who stated: “Erhard led CONEBI and made it a respected industrial representation’s association in Brussels with the EU authorities and in Geneva with the United Nations. Having now Massimo on the lead is a sign of continuity of Erhard’s legacy, and the integration of Sylvain in the Board a positive news for CONEBI.”

Manuel Marsilio, CONEBI General Manager, concluded: “It will be a great honour for me and the whole secretariat to work with Massimo as new President and Sylvain as new member of the CONEBI Board.”