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Highlights from the Secretarial Working Group Meeting in Barcelona

On 24th January 2025, the Secretarial Working Group (SWG) meeting took place in the vibrant city of Barcelona, bringing together secretaries from 8 different countries to discuss initiatives, future strategies and collaborative opportunities. Olivier Mazoyer (President of IUCAB), Matthew Tickle (Chairman of the SWG) and Christian Rebernig (Secretary General) welcomed Tintti Ikonen (FFTAF, Finland), Jordi Marti (COACB, Spain), Marco Righetti (USARCI, Italy), Noemi Rios (COACB, Spain) Alexia Scotto di Carlo (APAC, France) and Bror William Stende (VIRKE, Norway) at the building of the Collegi Oficial d’Agents Comercials de Barcelona. Thank you, Ricard Penas (President of COACB & Vice-President of IUCAB), for hosting the meeting.

Here’s an overview of the key highlights and outcomes from this productive gathering.

Current Developments and Activities

Matthew Tickle (The MAA, Great Britain & Ireland) opened the meeting with a warm welcome as Chairman and handed over to the Secretary General who informed the participants on the current developments referring to the commercial agent profession. He gave an overview of the social media activities of IUCAB. There is an increased outreach with 1,845 followers on LinkedIn an 896 newsletter subscribers, as the refreshed website design and improved SEO strategies have boosted visibility and engagement.

Networking and Lobbying Efforts

The session on networking highlighted collaborations with SME Connect and CzechTrade to strengthen relationships across markets. In addition, chambers of commerce in non-IUCAB member countries should get involved to build up a strong network for the commercial agent profession. Also, the relaunched IUCAB B2B platform helps to connect manufacturers and agents globally.

Update on the LUCA-Project to strengthen the skills of Commercial Agents

The LUCA project, which aims to “Level Up Commercial Agents’ Competencies,” continues to gain momentum. The planned output, which meets the needs of the profession, will offer an e-Learning platform with 4 modules that ensures agents are prepared for modern challenges. This initiative reflects IUCAB’s commitment to education and professional development, fostering greater credibility and higher knowledge among members. The 2-year-project started in 2023 and is co-funded by the European Union. The importance of the participation of national member associations in the upcoming pilot test phase was emphasised.

Annual Meeting 2025 in Tallinn, Estonia

The annual meeting is scheduled from 29th to 31st May 2025 and hosted by the Finnish Association FFTAF. The program was presented and invitations to Member Associations will be sent by February 2025.

Award 2025 & National Training Program

The prestigious George Hayward Award, celebrating its 16th edition this year, will honor excellence in the commercial agency field. Applications are open until 28th February, with the winner to be announced during the Delegates Meeting in Tallinn. The Secretaries were reminded to send their nominations for the Award 2025 and to forward applications regarding the renewal of their National Training Program.

The Barcelona SWG meeting underscored the importance of sharing knowledge and experience, collaboration, innovation and forward-thinking strategies in driving the success of commercial agents worldwide.Stay tuned for updates on these initiatives. The next SWG meeting will be held on 29th May 2025, in Tallinn (Estonia).

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