Carl Lescroart (Coca-Cola Europacific Partners) has been appointed chairman of BABM

BABM, the association of branded goods manufacturers in Belgium and Luxembourg, has a new president: Carl Lescroart, director of Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, will succeed Ives Depoortere effective April 1.

Facilitating dialogue between retailers and suppliers

Lescroart is currently Vice President & Country Director for Belgium and Luxembourg at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP). “His in-depth expertise in the FMCG sector and his commitment to collaboration within the sector will be of great value in determining BABM’s strategic direction,” the press release states. He succeeds Ives Depoortere, who stepped down from his role as CEO of Jules Destrooper last year.

“BABM holds a unique position as the key platform facilitating dialogue between retailers and suppliers. My ambition is to further strengthen the connection between brands and our customers, as we face common challenges within the Belgian and Luxembourg markets,” said the new chairman. “These include structural factors that weaken our competitiveness compared to neighboring countries, such as higher labor costs, energy costs, taxes and excise duties. At the same time, BABM will continue to advocate for a fair, balanced and sustainable trading environment.”

BABM defends the interests of manufacturers of branded products. Its members include more than 120 companies in Belgium and Luxembourg that produce and sell national and international branded products.