Past President of the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP), Pierre Pienaar MSc FAIP, has been elected to the prestigious position of Vice-President (responsible for Education) on the World Packaging Organisation (WPO) Board. This appointment was made on the occasion of the biannual WPO meeting held in May at the Messe Dusseldorf in Germany.

Pierre had association with WPO in the 1990s in his role as President of the Institute of Packaging South Africa. After becoming involved with the AIP in 2002, he began the push for Australia to become a member of WPO. Pierre felt Australia had much to offer the international packaging world and he knew from previous experience how much there was to gain for members who were part of a global, industrial family and network. With Pierre’s drive and networking, and with the AIP’s blessing and enthusiasm, the Institute became a full member at WPO's 85th board meeting in Istanbul in 2010.

During his term as AIP President (2010-2012), Pierre played a significant role in ensuring AIP membership on WPO's Education and Marketing Committees. Once on the Education Committee, Pierre agitated WPO to take up the challenge of delivering more to developing nations in the form of education and training. When Lebanon had to withdraw from hosting the May 2013 Board meeting, owing to uncertain security, Pierre jumped at the opportunity of inviting WPO and its members to relocate the meeting to Sydney.

This meeting also included the auspicious annual World Stars Awards and gala dinner. This competition recognises innovation in packaging design and technology worldwide and regularly attracts over 300 entries from more than 35 countries. A World Stars Award is a major, sought after achievement which can put a company on the world map or continue to endorse quality in an already renowned company.

The Sydney WPO meeting was held in conjunction with AUSPACK PLUS 2013 and Pierre was convinced this would prove an excellent opportunity to showcase to the world Australia's high standards in the industry. He was not disappointed. The meeting also allowed the WPO Board and its Education Committee, led then by Gordon Stewart from the UK, to take a closer look at the outstanding education programs offered by the AIP.

Since then WPO has called on the AIP's Education Committee, led by Pierre Pienaar, to deliver more and more education in developing countries. To date Pierre has been instrumental in creating and delivering tailor-made courses in Malaysia, Indonesia, Nigeria and Singapore. Later this year he travels to Nigeria again, upon their request for follow up training, and to Ghana. Vietnam and China have also shown keen interest in AIP's courses delivered under the WPO banner.

Pierre's new position as WPO Vice-President, responsible for Education, is a recognition of his passion and drive for attaining the highest standards possible in all aspects of packaging design and technology; and his sincere interest in and determination to support, nurture and develop member countries where required. Pierre's belief is that, "The more people we educate in effective packaging, the better we fulfil the WPO mission: Better Quality of Life for More People Through Better Packaging."