IDEA appoints new Chairman

After 25 years of service Gary Kibblewhite has stepped down as Chair of IDEA (International Distribution of Electronics) the international association of
electronics supply-chain trade associations
Association), the international ass

At a recent meeting of the IDEA Council in Munich, Kibblewhite announced his intention to relinquish the post he has held since IDEA’s inception in 1986. The association today draws its membership from electronics trade organisations across the world. At the meeting in Munich, IDEA representatives from Germany, Italy, South Africa, USA, UK, China, Sweden & Russia unanimously voted for Adam Fletcher, the UK delegate and Chairman of ecsn, to replace Gary as IDEA Chairman. Accepting the appointment Fletcher thanked Kibblewhite for his service to IDEA: ‘Gary has been a tireless champion of the electronic components distribution industry for many years’ said Fletcher, ‘He’ll be a diffi cult act to follow but it’s a great honour and privilege for me to serve the international industry as Chairman of IDEA’.

IDEA has established itself as a primary source for regular statistics covering Electronic Component sales through the distribution channel servicing over 95% of organisations purchasing electronic components worldwide. Members use a comprehensive statistical service, which provides accurate monthly data to members in 28 categories of semis, passives, e-mech components and is being enhanced to meet the changing needs of the industry.

Under Kibblewhites’s leadership IDEA been instrumental in encouraging other countries to start Trade Associations and gather statistics covering the Electronic Component markets. Countries such as Australia, Germany and South Africa have launched local Associations as a direct result of support from IDEA: ‘In recent times the spectre of ever-increasing legislation is affecting our industry and IDEA members are already co-operating across the World to ensure that standards are developed Internationally and that duplication of effort is minimised’, Kibblewhite said. ‘I fear that, by necessity, this will become an even greater feature of IDEA’s activities in future’.

Kibblewhite recently visited China and presented to 30 of the major distributors on the benefi ts of organising a Trade Association, which has resulted in an initial meeting of an embryo component Trade Association scheduled to take place in Shenzhen on 4th March 2011.
Gary thanked everyone for his support ‘I have been pleased to have been able to help the development of IDEA into what is now a major multi-National Association of Associations whilst making many great friends’ he concluded.