About us

Mission Statement

Uniting our industry. Strengthening its voice. Shaping its future.

Founded in 1952, FEC is the voice of the European cookware, cutlery and housewares industry. We promote co-operation between members to exchange expertise, address technical and regulatory challenges, contribute to the development of standards, and represent the collective interests of the sector at both European and international level.

FEC’s Major Fields of Work

Monitoring European and international regulatory developments relevant to FEC’s product categories.
Representing the industry in European committees dealing with product regulation and business-related requirements, including food contact materials, chemicals legislation, sustainability, reporting and due diligence.
Serving as a platform to align industry interests and develop joint projects, including research, surveys and events.

Directors’ Committee

The Directors’ Committee, including the President and the Vice-President, consists of representatives of our member companies and associations. The Directors’ Committee is in charge of all activities of FEC.

Olivier Brault

President FEC I Directeur Gestion de Crise Groupe, Groupe SEB, France

After dedicating three decades to service in the French Air Force, Olivier embarked on a new chapter in September 2022.
He transitioned to Groupe SEB, a renowned global leader in small domestic appliances and professional coffee.
At Groupe SEB he serves as Director of Lobbying for the Group and Director of Prospective at the President’s Office.

Tobias Gerfin

Vice-President FEC | CEO, Kuhn Rikon, Switzerland

Tobias Gerfin has been CEO of Kuhn Rikon AG, a Swiss family-owned company in the field of cookware and cooking utensils since October 2013. The company’s products are marketed worldwide in 40 countries. Since 2019, he is President of the European Association for Cookware, Cutlery and Flatware (FEC).
After his studies and his doctorate at the ETH Zurich as a natural scientist, he worked at the EPF Lausanne on solar cells. His industrial career led him to Bruker in Fällanden in the field of NMR, Optrel, a leading company for welding helmets, in Toggenburg, and Glas Trösch in Bützberg, where he took over the management of the glass in interior work in 2007. In 2010 Tobias Gerfin was appointed CEO of Stoll Giroflex AG in Koblenz in the office furniture sector.

Gernot Strehl

Head of Product Compliance, ZWILLING J.A. Henckels AG, Germany

Dr. Gernot Strehl joined Zwilling in November 2012. He graduated in physics at the Technical University of Berlin in 1996. In 2002 he obtained his doctoral degree from the Technical University Clausthal after working on two European projects. In 2003 he benefited from a postdoctoral scholarship at the University of Burgundy in Dijon, France. In the following years he worked for Schmidt + Clemens with centrifugal cast high alloyed steels and forged tool steels.
At Zwilling he is responsible for product compliance on a global level with a special focus on food contact and chemical legislation. Within the Senior Expert team in FEC metals & alloys as well as ceramics and enamel are his key interests.

Tobias Knapp

Group Sustainability Director, Le Creuset Group AG, Switzerland

Tobias Knapp is the Global Sustainability Director at Le Creuset Group, a role he has held since October 2021. Le Creuset’s products are sold worldwide and are renowned for their colourful enamelled cast iron and premium cookware ranges.
Since 2025, Tobias has also led the FEC Sustainability Development Expert Team and serves on the FEC Directors’ Committee.
He holds a Master’s degree in mechanical engineering and previously worked as a sustainability consultant in Europe and Asia before joining Le Creuset.

Sandro Tarozzo

Integrated System Manager Guardini, Italy

Sandro Tarozzo has been a Senior Expert for FEC from 2020. He graduate from Professional Institute for Industry. He joined in Alcatel Cables as Production and Planner Manager from 1988 to 1997. From 1997 to 1998 as plant manager in Elettronica Conduttori.

Since 1998 he holds the position of Quality Manager, Integrated System Manager and Regulatory Compliance Manager for Chemicals and Food Contact for the Bakeware business of Guardini.

Eike Sträter

CEO, Flügel CSS and PCM Proficut Messertechnik, Germany

Eike is CEO of the companies Flügel CSS and PCM Proficut Messertechnik based in Solingen. With more than 100 years of market experience FEC´s member company Flügel CSS is one of the leading sharpening steel manufacturers not only in Germany but also worldwide. Customers are international top brands of cutlery and household items as well as well-known wholesalers for professional use. Since the beginning of 2023, Eike has been an active member of the FEC board of directors and particularly responsible for planning FEC’s main annual event: the FEC Business Days.

Mara Rossi

Association Manager, Anima/Fiac, Italy

For over 10 years, until 2017, Mara was the association manager within Applia Italia for the air conditioning and professional catering equipment sectors, called EFCEM Italia. She managed the secretariat and developed activities related to Food Contact Materials, FGAS, Energy Labeling, Ecodesign, and WEEE, as well as managing relationships with companies. She also represented the voice of Italian manufacturers in these sectors within the relevant European associations: Applia Europe and Efcem Europe.
For some years, she worked in certification bodies, developing certification for regulatory and legislative compliance, with particular reference to the provisions of FCM and FGas.
She was also the Certification Manager and the person in charge for attending to the Associations meetings and to the Technical Regulatory Committees for an Italian company, that manufactures equipment for the Horeca industry.

Since June 2024, she has been the Association Manager for the Food Technology Associations within the Anima Federation, including FIAC, which represents Italian manufacturers of cutlery, cookware, metal tableware and related items, Fec member.

André-Pierre Doucet

Director General, Synetam, France

Jan-Frederik Kremer

Managing Director, IVSH, Germany

Jan-Frederik Kremer is Director General of IVSH – the German Cutting and Housewares Industry Association. Previously, Kremer served as Managing Director of AiF FTK GmbH and founded the AiF InnovatorsNet.
Kremer studied Political Science, History, and International Development Studies in Bochum, Bonn, and Cape Town. Academic roles included Visiting Scholar by invitation at the European Union Centre of Excellence at the University of Miami and Head of a research group at the Center for Global Studies, University of Bonn.

Pierre-Armand Lemoine

Executive Vice-President Cookware, Groupe SEB, France

Groupe SEB announced the appointment of Pierre-Armand Lemoine as Executive Vice-President, Cookware, in July 2021.  Pierre-Armand joined Groupe SEB already in 2007 as VP Strategic Development and worked in the Strategy Department for 4 years. He then occupied the position of VP Strategic Marketing, Cookware BU, for 4 years before becoming SVP Strategy, a position he has held for 5 years in which he has notably supervised the business plan.

Advocacy Task Force

Coordinates advocacy activities and engagement with EU institutions, ensuring a consistent, well-aligned and strategically positioned industry voice in policy discussions.