New Secretary General at the helm of CECE

. It secured the commitment of Sigrid de Vries, partner in the public relations agency Quick Communications, to represent the sector towards the EU institutions and manage the association’s Brussels office.The new Secretary General succeeds Ralf Wezel who leaves, after a twelve-year tenure with CECE, in order to undertake new responsibilities within the industry association VDMA in Frankfurt.

Eric Lepine, president of CECE and Managing Director of Caterpillar France SAS, welcomed the new secretary-general to CECE: “I firmly believe Sigrid will do an excellent job. She has a strong management experience and a very solid knowledge of both our industry and the Brussels’ political environment. I am looking forward to working with her.” Lepine thanked Wezel for his commitment, adding: “Ralf has strengthened the role and influence of CECE throughout his time with the association. We wish him all the best in his new challenge.”

The appointment of the new Secretary General was taken by the CECE Steering Group and confirmed by the association’s Presidents’ Committee in May 2014. De Vries commented: “The construction equipment industry forms an important part of the machinery manufacturing sector in Europe, and EU legislation has a direct impact on its ability to stay competitive. I look forward to promote the interests of this industry towards the European Institutions and work together with the CECE members, partner associations and other stakeholders to achieve common goals.”

Sigrid de Vries, a Dutch national, is an experienced EU governmental affairs and communications professional, who served many years as director of communications at ACEA (the European Automobile Manufacturers Association) in Brussels and later led the institutional relations activities of CNH Industrial in Europe.