Leather Naturally, a member association for the leather industry, is pleased to announce that Dr. Luis Zugno has been appointed Chair of the Leather Naturally Management Board.
Luis was elected to the Management Board in 2020, serving as the leader of the Education Team. In this role he has not only overseen the production of the invaluable Leather Naturally fact sheets and supporting longer features, but created the Guide to Modern Leather Making, an easy to understand resource, freely available for anyone to access and use.
Luis succeeds outgoing Chair, Debbie Burton, Director of Communications at the Leather Working Group. Debbie is stepping down having reached the end of her six-year tenure as a member of the Management Board.
Luis currently works as the Global Innovation Manager for chemical manufacturer Buckman International. He also serves as the Executive Secretary for the International Union of Leather Technologists and Chemists Societies (IULTCS), after having previously held the role of IULTCS President. Luis has a PhD in tanning research and over 30 years of experience working in the leather sector.
Please note: The role of Chair is an appointed position, voted on by members of the existing Management Board. A new member of the Management Board, to replace the open position left by Debbie Burton’s departure, will be announced shortly.
Outgoing Chair, Debbie Burton, said:
“It has been my privilege to work with all the members of the Leather Naturally Management Board and Supervisory Council, all of whom are so passionate about our industry and all of whom give up their time voluntarily to do this work. The power of the industry coming together to better educate people about leather has never been better exemplified than in the work that Leather Naturally undertook, in collaboration with Leather Working Group to update bovine leather in the Higg MSI. This work does not come for free, maintaining and updating the resources also carries a cost and our work is not done. As outgoing Chair I urge anyone who has not already done so, to pledge their support through membership of this dedicated organization.”
Incoming Chair, Dr. Luis Zugno, said:
“It is a great honor to be appointed as the Chair of the Leather Naturally Management Board. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to our supporting members, Management Board, and Supervisory Council for their unwavering support in maintaining Leather Naturally as the leading educational resource organization for leather. Keep tanning!”
About Leather Naturally
Leather Naturally promotes the use of responsibly made, certified leather. Its website www.leathernaturally.org is a key resource for information about modern leather manufacturing and the part it plays in a more sustainable society.
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