Derek Nighbor Elected ICFPA President

Forest Products Association of Canada President and CEO Derek Nighbor Elected ICFPA President

The International Council of Forest and Paper Associations (ICFPA) has announced that Derek Nighbor, President and CEO of Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC), has been elected its new President.

“It is an honour to be chosen by colleagues from around the world to assume this role at such an exciting time for forestry and the forest products sector.  The men and women in our industry are innovative and hard-working.  They are providing solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing people around the world,” said Nighbor.  “Canada was built on forestry.  In Canada, I work hard every day to advance the opportunities that our sector brings to communities like the one I grew up in.  In this new role, I look forward to working with my international colleagues to do the same thing on the global stage,” Nighbor added.

Past ICFPA presidents Jane Molony, Executive Director, Paper Manufactures Association of South Africa (PAMSA) and Donna Harman, President and CEO, American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) offered the following comments:  

“We are very fortunate to have Derek’s leadership at this important time for our industry.  Low carbon, sustainable and renewable solutions are needed the world over and under Derek’s leadership the ICFPA is well positioned to contribute to public policy development for the benefit of global society,” Molony said.  

“ICFPA members were deeply saddened by the untimely death of past ICFPA president Sylvain Lhôte, Director General of the Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI). Sylvain brought much energy and enthusiasm to his work on behalf of ICFPA. We will remember his legacy and know that he would be pleased that his vision for ICFPA will continue to be carried out under Derek’s leadership.  Derek’s experience in government and associations and his knowledge of the forest and paper sector make him the ideal person to lead ICFPA during a time when our industry is needed more than ever,” said Harman.

Nighbor has 20 years of government and association executive experience in Canada, holding senior roles with the Government of Ontario, the Retail Council of Canada (RCC), Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC), and now as President and CEO at Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC).  He will serve as ICFPA President for the next two years in conjunction with his role at FPAC.

The ICFPA serves as a forum of global dialogue, coordination and co-operation. Currently, the ICFPA represents 18 pulp, paper, wood and fibre-based associations that encompass 28 countries, including many of the top pulp, paper and wood producers around the world.