29 March 2024, 14:57
By Furniture News Mar 17, 2017

International magazine alliance celebrates 20th anniversary

Earlier this month, representatives from the International Alliance of Furnishing Publications (IAFP) gathered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to conduct the association’s AGM, elect a new board, and celebrate two decades of collaboration.

Kindly hosted by the Malaysian International Furniture Fair (MIFF), 16 of the IAFP’s 19-strong membership came together on 7th March at the event’s PWTC venue.

Outgoing association president Zeki Yucel from Turkey was recognised for his contribution. The outgoing board then led a discussion in which Romania’s MagMob was confirmed at that country’s representative publication, citing its greater suitability than rival publication Mobila following a dispute over membership.

A new executive board was then elected, comprising: Artem Vasiliev, from Russia’s Mebelny Biznes, as president; Casey Loo, from Malaysia/Singapore’s Furniture & Furnishing Export International, as vice-president; and Milena Kirilova, from Bulgaria's MD Magazine, as secretary general. Japan’s Takayoshi Nagashima, from Home Living magazine, remains the association’s treasurer.

“I am honoured to take on this lead role,” said new president Artem Vasiliev following his appointment, "and I am committed to future growth of the IAFP and our global industry alike.” As well as developing the framework of the alliance, Artem made a commitment to greater co-operation with exhibitions and a renewed focus on creating business opportunities.

At MIFF’s glamorous buyer’s night, the event’s organisers celebrated the IAFP’s anniversary by presenting its members with a giant birthday cake, following the presentation of commemorative trophies earlier in the week.

The IAFP seeks to strengthen communication between the leading industry trade titles from countries all over the world, in order to better facilitate import, export and global marketing opportunities for its members’ clients. It was founded at imm cologne in 1997 by representatives from the US, Germany, Japan and Australia, who required a forum in which to openly exchange editorial and marketing ideas.

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