Cirillo Marcolin leaves Mido and Anfao
At the end of the opening event yesterday evening, a show organized to celebrate 40 years in the history of eyewear, Cirillo Marcolin announced to the guests, not without a touch of emotion, that he did not intend re-candidating himself as the president of Anfao and Mido.
Marcolin's presidency lasted 8 years and these were by no means easy years. Appointed president of Mido in 1999, he steered the exhibition into the new millennium and achieved the momentous target of 40,000 visitors in May 2001, but then immediately found himself having to come to terms with the post 11 September crisis that overtook the international economy with a violent impact on the exhibition industry as well. These were difficult times for the entire industry, but under his helmsmanship, the exhibition succeeded in confining the damage. This was the case both in 2002 (when the fall in attendance figures was much lower than that posted by other exhibitions in the industry) and in the following year, when the panic caused by SARS (which we now know was unfounded) kept mainly Italian visitors away from the exhibition because they were afraid that they could be infected by Asian exhibitors and attendees. Yet, during this period Mido held on strong and, while posting a fall in attendance numbers, was appreciated by exhibitors because of its ability to be an exhibition where business is not only measured in the quantity of contacts made, but in their quality.
Having overcome this obstacle too with tremendous efforts and determination, in the meantime Cirillo Marcolin was called to lead Anfao (Italian Optical Goods Manufacturers' Association) as well, while continuing in his task of restoring the industry and exhibition to their former glory at the end of the 90's, by moving in several directions. He also found himself having to face competition from China, which, after joining the WTO was mounting a hard attack on all the sectors where Italy is a world leader (fashion, food, design). Under his presidency a number of initiatives were launched with the intent of protecting market shares. First among these, a major effort in the battle against counterfeiting, which was carried out through the memorandum of understanding signed with the Customs Authority and the Ministry of Production Activities to protect the market and Italian consumers from very poor quality products arriving from the Far East, by cooperating with customs officials and training specialists for on-site assistance in cases where optical goods are confiscated.
Along with this, the relaunching of Made in Italy production in a big way through eyewear catwalks organized in concert with ICE (Foreign Trade Institute) and the Ministry, starting in 2002 in the world's most important capital cities, Paris, New York, Moscow and even Shanghai. As well as the establishment, together with other Italian accessories associations (Aimpes - leather goods, Anci - footwear, Federorafi - watches-jewellery), of Fiamp (Italian Federation of Fashion and Personal Accessories) with the intent of obtaining more exposure for Italian companies and products by planning joint initiatives.
By focusing all its efforts on trying to create an opportunity out of every threat, under the presidency of Cirillo Marcolin the Italian eyewear industry managed to react and to reaffirm its world leadership, which had been built over the years on a solid foundation of determination, creativity, research and quality. The very same bases thanks to which today Mido, in focusing on the future with great respect for the past and its traditions, is unanimously viewed as the topmost event for the industry. An unmissable, must-attend event.
'The results obtained during my Presidency term, which I carried out with passion and determination, were also primarily achieved thanks to my colleagues who helped me during my presidency of Mido and Anfao - the vice presidents who led the committee, the board of directors, and the entire association assembly who voted for me and supported me as well as the Mido board of directors. My thanks also go to all those people, both inside and outside the association, who expended so many efforts in helping me to complete my task and to receive so many rewards', concluded Cirillo Marcolin. These years will certainly be remembered as having left an indelible mark in the history of Italian and international eyewear.
