International Fur Association Introduces New Charter

Recently, the International Fur Association (IFA) held its annual conference in London, marking a significant moment for the global fur industry. Over 75% of the member organizations present voted to approve a series of major amendments to the association’s constitution. These changes are expected to reshape the governance and direction of the IFA moving forward.

Under the revised statute, the executive council will now consist of seven industry representatives elected by members, along with seven nominated members from auction houses and farmers. The new structure will come into effect starting from the 2011 Annual General Meeting. The elected members will be distributed as follows: two from Asia (one must be from China), two from Europe, two from North America, and one from Russia. Additionally, the term limits for officers and board members have been clearly defined in the updated document.

A key highlight of the new statute is the requirement that at least one member of the board must be from China, underscoring the growing importance of the Chinese market in the global fur trade. In addition, the IFA has introduced a new role: the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), who will oversee the association's operations and provide strategic support, particularly in political and regulatory matters. However, day-to-day management will still fall under the responsibility of the Executive Director.

During the meeting, Ms. Pirkko Rantanen Kervinen, who has dedicated 18 years to the international fur industry, officially stepped down from her roles as Financial Director and Executive Director. Mr. Steven Hurwitz was appointed as the new Financial Director, while Mr. Pertti Fallenius took over as the nominated director representing the Finnish fur auction house on the IFA Executive Council.

At the conference, Andreas Lenhart, a senior representative of the IFA, emphasized the need for unity and resilience within the fur industry. He stated, “With the constitutional revisions and the restructuring of the IFA, we can now focus all our efforts on fulfilling the IFTF’s mission and guiding the fur industry toward a sustainable and prosperous future.”