17 Mar New executive appointment at SA flavour association
Well known food ingredient specialist, Sharon Bolel, has been appointed as assistant executive director of SAAFFI, the South African Association of the Flavour & Fragrance Industry, the industry body uniting the flavour & fragrance industry in South Africa across common, non-competitive issues.
Bolel will assist Michael Gristwood, current executive director, with all activities of the association, with her primary focus being on marketing and training. The industry body continues to play an important role in serving local flavour and fragrance companies in key, non-competitive areas, including monitoring and disseminating news of regulatory changes, maintaining vital contact with similar international agencies, training of industry personnel, offering a unified industry response to risk management and marketing the broader industry to potential employees, retailers and consumers.
Commenting on the new appointment, Gristwood says: “Sharon brings valuable know-how and experience to SAAFFI and will be an asset to the team. Her knowledge of the industry and its vagaries will be invaluable as we look to define more innovative interactions between the association and its members and continually grow our usefulness and relevance.”
Bolel comments: “I look forward to expanding the activities of the association and leveraging our relationship with members as we assist them to keep abreast and respond to the changes occurring in the flavour and fragrance industry.”
Sharon holds formal qualifications in chemistry, mathematics, microbiology, business management and marketing. She established her own business. Sharon Bolel Chemical Marketing (SBCM) in 1988, in which she supplied speciality ingredients (including fragrances and flavours), and technical support, to the food, cosmetic, health and pharmaceutical industries. SBCM was sold to CJP Chemicals in 2011 and soon after, Bolel returned to the world of trade journalism for a short stint.
Bolel holds an abiding interest in all aspects of the flavour and fragrance industry and has served as a member of the management committee of SAAFFI for more than a decade.
Related reading:
Sharon Bolel Chemical Marketing now a division of CJP Chemicals