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Executive Council
- Vanni Vignoli, President*
He moved to Caprari where he started as an engineer in the R&D Department and then became Research and Development Engineering and Technical Data Manager.
After a few years, he took over the role of Marketing Manager and is now the Head of Group Marketing. He is also Sales Manager for some Regions and Responsible of some Daughter Companies within Caprari Group.
Vanni is a member of the General Council of Assopompe and Chairman of Assopompe Marketing Commission. He is married with two children and is a keen sportsman.
He was elected President in May 2021.
- Lubos Michlik, 1st Vice-President*
- Alexandre Lacour, 2nd Vice-President*
After joined SOMEFLU in the early 2000s, Alexandre filled several positions in the company.
Graduated of an Executive MBA at EPITECH, an IT Engineering school, since 2019, he is the CEO of G&P. G&P is a French industrial company which manufacture thermoplastic centrifugal pumps brand SOMEFLU®, CHEMICAL® and process high-performance plastic through APLAST® activities.
After 15 years in the pump industries, he is also consultant for some digital think tanks, innovation Labs, accelerators and was in charge of industry 4.0 cycle in 2019 for the Hub Institute. He is driving the transformation of group activities towards innovative models.
He was elected Second Vice-President in May 2021.
- Dr Sönke Brodersen, Past President*
Dr. Sönke Brodersen is Global Executive Officer Committees and Associations of KSB SE & Co. KGaA.
After he joined KSB in 1990, he filled several positions at different sites. Brodersen studied at the Technical University of Braunschweig where he also obtained his PhD in the field of mechanical engineering. Following this, he became faculty associate at Arizona State University and was granted a fellowship by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.
Since 2009 Brodersen is Chairman of the German VDMA Pump Manufacturer Association. Since 2005 he is EUROPUMP council member. Between 2019 and 2021 he has been President of EUROPUMP
- Wim Bonte, Council Member*
Wim Bonte got his Master of Science degree in Electromechanical Engineering in 1996 on the KHBO in Oostende.
Immediately after his studies, he started as R&D engineer in the pump division of Packo Inox LTD.
In 2009 he promoted as technical manager Pumps at Packo Inox LTD and since 2014, Wim Bonte is Business Unit Manager Pumps at Packo Inox LTD. Packo Inox LTD is part of the Dutch Verder Group.
- Ken Hall, Honorary Council Member
Ken Hall is a qualified Engineer and business manager who has been involved in the pump industry for over 40 years.
He is Managing Director of Calpeda’s UK operations, and has served as President for both the British Pump Manufactures Association (BPMA) and Europump having been the BPMA representative on Europump council for 15 years. He was one of the founders of the European pump industries energy strategy ‘Ecopump’ promoting the strategy since its conception at events throughout the world.
Ken stepped down from his BPMA and Europump responsibilities in 2017 when he was made an Honorary Europump Council Member. Ken now looks after Calpeda S.p.A. operations in sub-Saharan Africa.
- Markus Holmberg, Council Member*
Markus has a M.Sc. degree in mechanical engineer from Royal institute of technology in Stockholm and has 20 years of experience in submersible wastewater pumps, dewatering pumps and mixers.
He is heading the department at Xylem R&D in Stockholm responsible for regulations, standards, product safety and documentation. Since 2010 Markus has been a member of Europump Standards Commission and Technical Commission and has for the last four years been the chairman of Europump Lot 28 workgroup Markus is active within the Swedish pump supplier association, Swepump, and is representing Swedish Standards Institute at CEN/TC 197 and ISO/TC 115- Kutlu Karavelioglu, Council Member*
Born in 1961, in Ankara; educated at TED Ankara College and METU (Middle East Technical University); obtained his Master of Science degree in CAD (computer-aided design) while working at Power Plants Department of Turkish Electricity Authority. He completed his military service obligation as a lieutenant in the Turkish Navy.
Since 1988, as a partner and professional, he holds executive management duties at the Aydıner Group, mainly in the boards of Samsun Machinery Industries and Layne Bowler companies, both having 50 years of history in Turkey in pump, valve and pipe production.
- Daniele Nardin, Council Member*
Born in 1964, married father of 3 children, living in Switzerland.
After an apprentice in the chemical analytical laboratories of the nuclear power plant KKW Gösgen-Däniken, Daniele Nardin completed his study as chemist at the Fachhochschule Burgdorf. He post-graduated further as Wirtschaftsingenieur at the Kaderschule St. Gallen (economics / sales & marketing). Daniele started his professional career as process and sales engineer at Montedison, then joined Buss Chemtech where he was responsible a technology manager for the gas-liquid reactor technology promotion.
Later he held positions as managing director with Ing. A. Maurer SA, joined in 2005 CP Pumpen AG as Director Sales and Business Development, then Rütschi Pumpen as Director Industrial Division, to join then KSB (Switzerland) as Managing Director. Daniele Nardin joined CP again in 2018 as Manager Sales Support & Marketing.
In his function as CCO, Chief Customer Officer Daniele is responsible for all inbound Sales Support functions, Spare Parts, Repair Services and After Sales Service in general. Parallel to his professional functions in the pump industry, Daniele Nardin has been a delegate at the National Swiss Pump Manufacturer Association, where he acts as elected President.
- Grzegorz Pakula, Council Member*
President of the Stowarzyszenie Producentów Pomp (Polish Association of Pump Manufacturers). Grzegorz Pakuła in 1981 graduated from the Department of Mechanical Engineering of the Silesian Technical University, Poland.
Until 1994 he carried out research work at Technical University of Silesia and at Liverpool University. In 1988 he obtained the Ph. D. degree in computational fluid dynamics.
In 1994 he joint the pump industry. Initially worked for Warman International (Polish branch), then, from 2000 for Powen group, the biggest Polish pump manufacturer. Member of the Board of Directors of POWEN SA.
- Pierre Plateus, Honorary Council Member*
Pierre Plateus qualified as an engineer in electro-mechanics in 1965 from the University of Liège in Belgium. He also completed a complementary course in electronics at the TH Delft in The Netherlands.
He was an Assistant at the Von Karmann institute for Fluid Mechanics in 1967, then joined ENSIVAL where became Head of the research department, Head of the engineering department, Commercial Manager and finally Export Commercial Manager of the Ensival-Moret pump company.
He was President of the Europump Standards Commission for 10 years, a member of the Europump Executive Council until 2016, and is now an honorary member of the Executive Council. After retiring from Ensival-Moret, he created a small company known as PLATEUS – CONSULT which specialises in the fields of mechanics & hydraulics, principally for rotating machines.
- Kelly Polemi, Council Member*
Kelly Polemi is Managing Director in Drakos Polemis Fluidustria S.A (DP Pumps), a pump manufacturing company based in Greece. She is a Mechanical Engineering from National Technical University of Athens, with MSc in Engineering Management from New York University. DP Pumps is manufacturing a big range of pump types, mainly special pumps used in large engineering and infrastructure projects.
Kelly Polemi since 2018 is member of the Europump Executive Council, representing Union of Greek Metal Industries.
- Matti Rikka, Council Member*
Matti Rikka is Head of Strategy and Projects of the Industry business unit in the Pumps Equipment division at Sulzer. He studied in Lappeenranta University of Technology, where he obtained his Master of Science degree in Industrial Engineering and Management. Matti Rikka has been working within the pump industry for more than 30 years.
He started his career in the Ahlstrom Pumps Corporation and joined Sulzer after the acquisition in 2000. Matti Rikka has held several different positions, from manufacturing operations to sales and business development management.
He is chairman of the Finnish Pump and Compressors Manufacturers group and represents the federation Technology Industries of Finland in the Europump Council.
- Wayne Rose, Council Member*
- Steen Töffner-Clausen, Council Member*
After graduating as MScEE and completing his PhD within Control Engineering, both at Aalborg University, Steen Tøffner-Clausen joined Grundfos A/S in 1997.
He has held several positions in Grundfos both in Product Development, Manufacturing and Product Program Management.
From 2008 until early 2015 Steen Tøffner-Clausen was Program Manager for the Grundfos Circulator portfolio and following this, until early 2019, held the position as Senior Program Director, Building Service having the responsibility for the Grundfos Building Service product portfolio.
Early 2019 Steen Tøffner-Clausen took up a new position as Senior Technical Director in Grundfos HVAC OEM business unit.
- Igor Tverdokhleb, Council Member*
Igor Tverdokhleb, a highly qualified Engineer and Supervisor with over 25 years experience in the pump industry, obtained a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1986 (Sumy State University).
In 1997 he obtained a PhD in Mechanical Engineering and then occupied positions from Research Assistant to Associate Professor at the University. He pursued his career as the CEO of a pump Research and Design Institute (VNIIAEN) which specialised in developing large pumps for the nuclear and oil industries. He then worked as Deputy Chief Engineer at one of the largest CIS heavy machinery enterprises.
In 2004 he joined the HMS Group as Technical Director; currently he is R&D Director and first Deputy to the Head of the Pump Division. He is the author of numerous research papers and articles on pumps and has supervised several pump specialists who subsequently obtained their PhD.
In 2013 he became President of the Russian Pump Manufacturing Association (RPMA). He is married with two children.
Martijn van den Born, Council Member*
After graduating in automotive engineering and management at IVA Driebergen Business School and completing a marketing course at the City of London Polytechnic in 1987, Martijn van den Born started his career as a trainee at the family business in pump and filter production. In 1990 Martijn became Commercial Director.
In 1994, the first generation Arnold van den Born retired and Martijn became CEO. In 1996 he acquired the company by management buyout.
Over the past 20 years, the company has strongly developed from a general manufacturer of plastic products into a specialised designer and producer of thermoplastic centrifugal pump and process filters. ARBO Pumps and Filters has been a member of the Holland Pump Group over the past 10 years and Martijn became President in October 2013.
- Frank Ennenbach, Chairman, Standards Commission+
Frank Ennenbach, Dipl. Ing. Chemical Process Engineering, since 1982 active within the pump industry.
He is working for Sulzer Management AG for more than 35 years and is currently its Director of Product Safety and Regulation. He serves as member and chairperson of several DIN, CEN and ISO working groups and since 2002 is chairperson of the Europump Standards Commission. As such he oversees the liaison to the European Commission on all matters of the Machinery -, ATEX -, Eco Design - and other Directives
- Robert Dodane, Chairman, Technical Commission+
- Morgan Warren Ross, Chairman, Marketing Commission+
- Giovanni Lorenzi, Chairman, SME Commission+
- Lisa Kretschmann, Secretary General+
After graduating from European Studies in Germany and France, Lisa Kretschmann started her career in International Trade Associations in Brussels in 2000. For the next 20 years she served industry sector associations in different responsibilities including PR and regulators affairs; over the last 12 years she has been holding management positions.
In 2020 Lisa created her own business, working as Management consultant, as leadership coach and yoga teacher. She is passionate about personal development and outdoor sports. She speaks English, German and French as well as some Dutch and Spanish.
* Denotes elected Council Member
+ Denotes ex-officio Council Member
