GME welcomes Juha Mäkinen as its new chairman

BRUSSELS, Belgium: Growing Media Europe (GME) announces that its chairman, Stefaan Vandaele, has ceased his position on 25 May 2020, after leaving Agaris Belgium in his function as CEO. GME board members have elected Juha Mäkinen as the new chairman of GME (Mäkinen is CEO of Kekkilä-BVB as well as a former member of the GME board).

GME secretariat expresses its gratitude and recognition to Vandaele for his essential role and dedication towards achieving GME and growing media sector objectives during the past years. His farewell party will be after the summer break.

Departing Vandaele says, “Being the Chairman of GME has been a true honour for me. I want to thank the secretary general and all those who have helped the sector making important steps forward towards a more sustainable way of growing food and ornamentals. I’m convinced that growing media will play an increasingly important role in the need for more sustainable and healthy fruit and vegetables and increased need for a greener environment to live in.”

The newly appointed chairman and Finnish-born Mäkinen is thrilled to join Growing Media Europe. He says,  “The association has done excellent work in promoting sustainable horticulture. I am grateful for the efforts that Vandaele has put to this work. One of the focus areas for us now is to support the achievement of EU´s Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategy goals. They are more important than ever for Europe and for the growing media industry.”

Growing Media Europe AISBL is an international non-profit organisation representing the producers of growing media and soil improvers at European level.