Jaswinder "Jas" Bedi (Kenya)
President
Mr. Jaswinder (Jas) Bedi graduated as a textile technologist in the UK in 1984 and has over 34 years of experience in the manufacturing sector in Kenya. Mr. Bedi is an industrialist and an entrepreneur who has numerous responsibilities in business and various business member organizations. Over the years, he has attended several executive business courses organized by Harvard Business School, IMD, and IIM to mention a few to his credentials. He is a member of YPOWPO global network of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO). Jas was also nominated a finalist in the 2016 Africa CEO forum awards and subsequently awarded the 2016 Sikh CEO of the year.
Mr. Bedi was appointed a board member at The Export Promotion Council (EPC) in 2003 and in 2006 transferred to serve the board of The Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA) for a period of 6 years until October 2012.
In December 2012, HE President Mwai Kibaki honored Jas with a medal, Moran of the Burning Spear (MBS). Further in 2016 HE President Kenyatta appointed Jas as the Chairman of the Export Promotion Council to help boost Kenya’s exports and later decorated him with a medal, Elder of the Burning Spear (EBS) in Dec 2017.
Mr. Bedi is currently
- President of International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF)
- Chairman Export Promotion Council (EPC)
- Chairman of the African Cotton & Textile Industries Federation (ACTIF)
- Director of Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA)
- Managing Director of Bedi Investments Limited
- Executive Director of Fine Spinners Uganda Limited
He has previously also served as
- Chairman of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM)
- Chairman of Kenya Apparel Manufacturers Exporters Association (KAMEA)
- Director and Vice Chairman of East African Business Council (EABC)
- Director of the Federation of Kenya Employers (FKE)
- Managing Director of Orbit Chemical Industries Limited
Peter Gnägi (Switzerland)
Education
Peter Gnägi graduated as a mechanical engineer of the ETH/Switzerland. He has over 25 years experience in the textile machine manufacturing sector.
Professional Activities
1990 - 2010: Rieter Group, Winterthur, Switzerland:
Head, Business Group Spun Yarn Systems /
Member of Group Executive Committee
2002 - 2010: Head, Division Textile System
1998 - 2002: Head, Business Group Spun Yarn Systems
1992 - 1998: Head, Business Unit Combing Machinery
1990 - 1992: Head, Robotics
1982 - 1990: Mettler Instrumente AG, Stäfa, Switzerland:
1986 - 1990: Head of Department, Operating Equipment
1982 - 1986: Project Manager, Automation
1979 - 1982: Alusuisse AG, Zürich, Switzerland:
1981 - 1982: Project Engineer, Corporate Headquarters
1981: Project Engineer, Heyward Robinson, US Group Company
1979- 1981: Research Engineer, Rolling Mills Division
Professional Affiliations
- Member of the CEMATEX General Assembly
- Member of the Board of ITMF
John Cheh (Hong Kong, China)
John Cheh received a Bachelor's Degree in Economics and Political Science from McGill University and a Ph.D. in Economics from M.I.T. He joined the Canadian Government in 1974 and worked for the Treasury Board and Privy Council Office.
From 1981 to 1993, he was with Canada's Department of External Affairs and International Trade, and served in Beijing, Seoul and Tokyo in senior diplomatic positions. In 1994, John moved to Hong Kong as the President, Asia, of Bell Canada International, in charge of strategic telecommunications investments. In 2001, he became the President of Bombardier China, until he joined Esquel in 2003.
John was elected Vice Chairman of the China Cotton Textile Association in 2005 and Vice Chairman of the China Chamber of Commerce for Textile Import and Export in 2009. In 2011, he was appointed a Board Member of the International Textile Manufacturers Federation. In 2012, the University of Western Ontario conferred an Honorary LL.D degree on John in recognition of his expertise in trade and labor issues.
Founded in 1978, the Esquel Group manufactures about 110 million cotton shirts annually for leading brands including Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Nike, Hugo Boss, Lacoste and Muji through its 59,000 workers in China, Malaysia, Mauritius, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. Its vertically-integrated operation includes cotton farming, spinning, weaving, knitting, dyeing, finishing, garment making, accessories & packaging as well as retailing. Esquel has a long-standing commitment in the areas of social responsibility and sustainable development.
Rafael Cervone (Brazil)
Rafael Cervone is a Textile Engineer graduated from the Faculty of Industrial Engineering - FEI.
He is first Vice President of the Center of Industries of the State of São Paulo – CIESP, President Emeritus of Sinditêxtil-SP, Member of the Board of ABIT and also Executive Director of Texbrasil – International Program of the Brazilian Fashion Industry maintained by ABIT and Apex-Brazil.
Muharrem H. Kayhan (Türkiye)
Born in 1955 in Izmir, Muharrem Kayhan was educated at St. Joseph French School and Robert College of Istanbul. He got his Engineering Degree in Textiles in 1976 from the University of Manchester in England. He received his MBA from Cornell University in 1978. Muharrem Kayhan is presently Vice-Chairman of the Board of Söktaş. The company produces fine fabrics for shirtings at its two factories in Türkiye and India. He has represented the interests of the Turkish textile industry in various European Union platforms while serving on the Boards of the Chamber of Industry, the Exporters' Union, and the Textile Employers' Association.
He has served as Chairman of TÜSIAD (Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association) between 1997-1999. Muharrem Kayhan serves on the Board of Trustees of Robert College and is a Member of the Board of the Izmir Culture, Art and Education Foundation. His interests are archaeology and numismatics.
He is married and has two children.