IWMA holds annual member meeting in Belgium

The International Water Mist Association (IWMA) held its 2024 annual member meeting in Antwerp, Belgium, on 17th September.

During this meeting, members elected a new chairman for the IWMA Scientific Council.

Two candidates were in the running for the position: Kemal Sarp Arsava of RISE Norway and Bogdan Raciega from the Baltic Fire Laboratory.

Following the election, Bogdan Raciega emerged as the new chairman.

Raciega is also an IWMA representative at the European Commission’s Fire Safety Expert Group.

He succeeds Max Lakkonen, who stepped down from the role after being elected as the new IWMA President.

Election follows leadership change

The election of a new chairman for the IWMA Scientific Council marked a significant shift in leadership within the organisation.

Max Lakkonen, who previously held the role of chairman, stepped down following his election as IWMA President.

Lakkonen’s predecessor, Are W. Brandt, had served as president for two terms but stepped down due to term limits outlined in the association’s articles.

The IWMA’s annual member meeting typically involves elections for board positions, and this year was no exception.

However, the need to elect a new Scientific Council chairman made this meeting distinct, as the last such election took place in 2018.

Board of directors confirmed

In addition to the election of a new chairman, the IWMA Board of Directors remains in place following the meeting.

The board includes several prominent figures from the fire safety industry. Dirk Sprakel from Fogtec serves as the IWMA Vice-President. The other board members are Luciano Nigro from Jensen Hughes, Henrik Bygbjerg from Danfoss Fire Safety, Ann Micheli from Ultra Fog, Dirk Laibach from Johnson Controls International, Robert Harley Mostad from RISE, Markku Vuorisalo of Marioff, and Jonathan Carpenter from FM Approvals.

With the election of Max Lakkonen as IWMA President, the board had anticipated the need to elect a new Scientific Council chairman and began the search for candidates in advance.

Continuity within the IWMA

As Raciega steps into his new role, the IWMA will continue to work towards its goals of promoting water mist technology and enhancing fire safety standards globally.

The board remains largely consistent with previous years, ensuring continuity in leadership and strategy for the association.

With the appointment of Raciega, the IWMA Scientific Council will continue its work on key research and standards development in fire safety.

The IWMA, known for its dedication to water mist technology, organises this annual member meeting to keep its members engaged and to ensure that the association remains active in its pursuit of innovation and safety in fire protection systems.

IWMA elects new scientific council chairman: Summary

At the 2024 annual member meeting of the International Water Mist Association (IWMA), held in Antwerp, Belgium, on 17th September, a new Scientific Council chairman was elected.

Two candidates competed for the role: Kemal Sarp Arsava from RISE Norway and Bogdan Raciega from the Baltic Fire Laboratory.

Raciega, who also represents the IWMA at the European Commission’s Fire Safety Expert Group, was elected chairman, succeeding Max Lakkonen.

Lakkonen had stepped down after being elected IWMA President.

The meeting also reaffirmed the members of the IWMA Board of Directors, ensuring stability in the association’s leadership structure.