Caobisco names new secretary general

European confectionery association Caobisco has appointed Marina Valverde as its new secretary general.

With effect from 1 February 2017, Valverde will succeed Sabine Nafziger, who has served six years as Caobisco secretary general and helped to develop the industry association’s reputation in Brussels as the ‘voice of the European chocolate, biscuits and confectionery industries’.

Valverde has over 20 years of experience in various EU public affairs positions in Brussels. Up to now, she has been working in EuroCommerce, the European association representing retail and wholesale, on food policy issues including nutrition and health, information to consumers and sustainability. In this role, she was responsible for developing lobbying strategies and providing expert advice on the impact of policy and regulatory developments for a network of 175 experts from retail associations and major European retailers.

Prior to this, Valverde was in the European Commission’s Legal Service, working on simplification of EU legislation and helping business to find their way around the EU regulatory environment. She also previously advised a range of major clients on government relations in the agri-food area at public affairs and communications firm Burson-Marsteller.

Commenting on the appointment, Caobisco president Alessandro Cagli said, “Marina joins our association at a time of change. Her deep knowledge of EU food policies and her long experience in the Brussels scene make her a key asset for Caobisco.

“We are confident that Marina will actively lead our association through a successful transformation, providing our members with quality services and further enhancing the perception of our product categories with EU stakeholders.”