Jim Guest, becomes President of Consumers International

Consumers International Press Release: for immediate release

US consumer rights chief, Jim Guest, becomes President of Consumers International

• Head of Consumers Union rallies global movement with inaugural address

• Thirteen other CI members elected to council, including first-time seat for Indian member

• Elections come after three days of World Congress activity in Hong Kong.

Jim Guest today called on the global consumer movement “not to take no for an answer” as he outlined his campaigning vision as the new President of Consumers International (CI). Mr Guest accepted the presidency after an uncontested election at the Consumers International World Congress in Hong Kong.

On his first address as CI President Mr Guest quoted Martin Luther King, saying, "in justice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

Outlining his intentions, Mr Guest said:
“Consumers International must play to its strengths: its diversity, its passion, and its persistence. CI is in the campaigning business for the long haul and needs to be the kind of organisation that does not take no for an answer."

Mr Guest went on to say that the balance of economic power in the world was too weighted against consumers in relation to corporations and it was CI's job to fight for the balance to be shifted.

Jim Guest, who will serve a fouryear term, is also the CEO of Consumers Union of United States, publisher of Consumer Reports and previously the Vice President of CI. He is joined on the CI Council by the heads of thirteen other national consumer organisations, also elected at the CI World Congress General Assembly.

This includes Shirish Deshpande, head of Indian member Mumbai Grahak Panchayat (MGP), for the first time, along with representatives from Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe and Latin America,

Mr Guest concluded by thanking the Hong Kong Consumer Council for hosting a successful CI World Congress 2011. More than 700 delegates, representing over 60 countries, attended the event.

The complete list of elected CI Council members is as follows:

Samuel Ochieng - Consumer Information Network (Kenya)
Gerd Billen - VZVB (Germany)
Marilena Lazzarini - Instituto Brasileiro de Defesa do Consumidor (Brazil)
Beatriz Garcia Buitrago - Consumidores Argentinos (Argentina)
Kim Jai Ok - Consumers Korea
Connie Lau - Hong Kong Consumers Council
Bart Combée - Consumentenbond (The Netherlands)
Marimuthu Nadason - FOMCA (Malaysia)
Nick Stace - CHOICE (Australia)
Shirish Deshpande - Mumbai Grahak Panchayat (MGP) (India)
Saree Aongsomwang - Foundation for Consumers (Thailand)
Rasmus Kjeldahl - Danish Consumer Council (Denmark)
Benoît Plaitin - Test Achats (Belgium)
Dominic Lindley - Which? (UK)
-ends-
• Consumers International (CI) is the only independent global campaigning voice for consumers. With over 220 member organisations in 115 countries, we are building a powerful international consumer movement to help protect and empower consumers everywhere.

• The Hong Kong Consumer Council (HKCC) is an independent statutory body committing itself as the trusted voice for consumer betterment towards safe and sustainable consumption in a fair and just market. Joined Consumers International (CI) in 1976, HKCC became CI Council Member in 1978 and has been the Executive Member since 1994.

• Consumers International’s 19th World Congress took place at the Hong Kong Conference and Exhibition Centre, 3-6 May. Day 1 was dedicated to fringe events with days 2 & 3 taken up with the official programme. Day 4 is the CI General Assembly. All details are at www.consumersinternational.org/congress.

• The CI World Congress occurs every four to five years. It includes the General Assembly where CI’s President, Executive and Council are voted in.

• The last Congress took place in Sydney in 2007. The CI World Congress was previously held in Hong Kong in 1991. The co-hosts for the event are CI’s Hong Kong member, The Consumer Council.

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