Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1024460
78 PCB007 MAGAZINE I SEPTEMBER 2018 In May, IPC Europe wel- comed new Senior Direc- tor Nicolas Robin. Based in Brussels, Nicolas will repre- sent IPC and the electronics manufacturing industry in Europe. I recently sat down with Nicolas for a one-to-one conversation to get to know him better and introduce him to fellow electronics in- dustry members. John Mitchell: Nicolas, as senior director in Eu- rope, what do your responsibilities include? Nicolas Robin: In this role, I serve as IPC's rep- resentative before European governmental of- ficials, institutions, and public policy stake- holders. I will also be the coordinator and op- erational point of contact for IPC's European membership. Mitchell: Where did you work prior to IPC? Robin: Prior to this position, I was public affairs director for the world's largest glass contain- er company—Owens-Illinois (O-I). I represent- ed O-I in government affairs at the European Union and throughout Europe. I also worked with the European sustainability program lead- ership in support of corporate sustainabili- ty goals, including increasing the company's use of recycled content. I have more than 25 years of experience in advocacy for companies at the European Union and national levels. I was director of public affairs for various con- sulting firms and assistant to a French mem- ber of the European Parliament. As a research fellow at Johns Hopkins Uni- versity (USA), I conducted a series of seminars on Euro- pean integration and its eco- nomic impact. Mitchell: What are your goals for IPC Europe? Robin: Currently, our Euro- pean membership represents more than 600 sites. A new dynamic has been engaged in the region. Therefore, my goal is to expand IPC's brand in Europe, reinforce IPC's presence at a national level, and provide a full mem- ber and customer satisfaction service. To reach these objectives, IPC Europe will continue de- veloping local activities for the industry, in- cluding networking and exchange of experi- ence opportunities. We are running approxi- mately 20 events across Europe in 2018. We want to strengthen our programs for specific segments of importance for our industry, such as automotive or medical devices. We will con- tinue to support IPC education programs and IPC Europe's network of training centers. I would like to facilitate European industry par- ticipation in IPC activities, especially standards development. Regarding public affairs, my objective is to increase IPC's value for members as a source of policy information and advocacy, and ul- timately make IPC a principal advocacy plat- form for our members. To this end, we are go- ing to launch IPC's European Government Re- lations Committee composed of the members who would like to engage in shaping our po- sitions on policy issues affecting the industry. Meet Nicolas Robin, IPC's New Senior Director in Europe One World, One Industry by John Mitchell, IPC−Association Connecting Electronics Industries