Press Release
US consumer rights chief, Jim Guest, becomes President of Consumers International
06 May 2011
US consumer rights chief, Jim Guest, becomes President
of Consumers International
- Head of Consumers Union rallies global movement with
inaugural speech
- Thirteen other CI members elected to council, including
first-time seat for Indian member
- Elections come after three days of World Congress
activity in Hong Kong.
Jim Guest today called on the global consumer movement "not to
take no for an answer" as he outlined his campaigning vision as the
new President of Consumers International (CI). Mr Guest accepted
the presidency after an uncontested election at the Consumers
International World Congress in Hong Kong.
On his first address as CI President Mr Guest quoted Martin
Luther King, saying, "in justice anywhere is a threat to justice
everywhere."
Outlining his intentions, Mr Guest said:
"Consumers International must play to its strengths: its
diversity, its passion, and its persistence. CI is in the
campaigning business for the long haul and needs to be the kind of
organisation that does not take no for an answer."
Mr Guest went on to say that the balance of economic power in
the world was too weighted against consumers in relation to
corporations and it was CI's job to fight for the balance to be
shifted.
Jim Guest, who will serve a fouryear term, is also the CEO of
Consumers Union of United States, publisher of Consumer Reports and
previously the Vice President of CI. He is joined on the CI Council
by the heads of thirteen other national consumer organisations,
also elected at the CI World Congress General Assembly.
This includes Shirish Deshpande, head of Indian member Mumbai
Grahak Panchayat (MGP), for the first time, along with
representatives from Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe and Latin
America,
Mr Guest concluded by thanking the Hong Kong Consumer Council
for hosting a successful CI World Congress 2011. More than 700
delegates, representing over 60 countries, attended the
event.
The complete list of elected CI Council members is as follows:
Samuel Ochieng - Consumer Information Network
(Kenya)
Gerd Billen - VZVB (Germany)
Marilena Lazzarini - Instituto Brasileiro de Defesa do Consumidor
(Brazil)
Beatriz Garcia Buitrago - Consumidores Argentinos
(Argentina)
Kim Jai Ok - Consumers Korea
Connie Lau - Hong Kong Consumers Council
Bart Combée - Consumentenbond (The Netherlands)
Marimuthu Nadason - FOMCA (Malaysia)
Nick Stace - CHOICE (Australia)
Shirish Deshpande - Mumbai Grahak Panchayat (MGP) (India)
Saree Aongsomwang - Foundation for Consumers
(Thailand)
Rasmus Kjeldahl - Danish Consumer Council (Denmark)
Benoît Plaitin - Test Achats (Belgium)
Dominic Lindley - Which? (UK)
-ends-
Notes to Editors:
- Consumers International (CI) is the only independent global
campaigning voice for consumers. With over 220 member organisations
in 115 countries, we are building a powerful international consumer
movement to help protect and empower consumers everywhere.
- The Hong Kong Consumer Council (HKCC) is an independent
statutory body committing itself as the trusted voice for consumer
betterment towards safe and sustainable consumption in a fair and
just market. Joined Consumers International (CI) in 1976, HKCC
became CI Council Member in 1978 and has been the Executive Member
since 1994.
- Consumers International's 19th World Congress took
place at the Hong Kong Conference and Exhibition Centre, 3-6 May.
Day 1 was dedicated to fringe events with days 2 & 3 taken up
with the official programme. Day 4 is the CI General Assembly. All
details are at www.consumersinternational.org/congress
- The CI World Congress occurs every four to five years. It
includes the General Assembly where CI's President, Executive and
Council are voted in.
- The last Congress took place in Sydney in 2007. The CI World
Congress was previously held in Hong Kong in 1991. The co-hosts for
the event are CI's Hong Kong member, The Consumer Council.