4 JULY 2025: Leather Naturally is pleased to announce the appointment of Thomas Yu and Arnaud Backbier to its Supervisory Council, with James Lang elected for a final term as Chair.
The Leather Naturally Supervisory Council acts as a governing body, supervising the Management Board, which is responsible for the day-to-day running of the organization. The Council acts in an advisory manner and is composed of five experts from the global leather industry.
About Arnaud Backbier
Also appointed for a first term on the Council, Arnaud replaces outgoing member Chad Jensen. Arnaud is a strategic business leader with 20+ years’ experience driving growth, innovation, and operational excellence across sectors like life sciences, chemicals, leather and the circular economy. He is skilled in general management, commercial leadership, M&A, and board governance, with a passion for sustainability and building businesses toward long-term success. He has previously held roles at leather chemical manufacturer Royal Smit & Zoon lastly as Global Commercial Director.
About James Lang
Remaining on the Council for a third and final term, James is the Chair of the Leather Naturally Supervisory Council. James is a 6th generation leather manufacturer and a director of Scottish Leather Group Limited. He joined the Group in 1978 and has held a number of senior posts across the group. Working toward retirement, James is now a non-executive director of Scottish Leather Group Limited. He is also Chair of Leather UK, and Chair of the charity Providing for People in Paisley(P3). James serves as a Court Assistant at the Worshipful Company of Leathersellers’ in London.
About Thomas Yu
Appointed for a first term on the Council, Thomas replaces outgoing member, David Peters. Thomas has over 25 years of experience working in the leather industry and currently holds the position of General Manager of Jollity Enterprise, based in Taiwan. He has also held the position of President of the Taiwan International Leather Association (TILA) since 2021. Thomas previously served as the President of the International Union of Leather Technologists and Chemists Societies (IULTCS).
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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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