IMRG has become the first organisation specialising in e-commerce to join the Universal PostalUnion (UPU)’s Consultative Committee, the grouping representing the interests of the wider postal
sector.UPU Director General Edouard Dayan commented: “E-commerce and supply chain integration are keypillars of the world postal strategy to be adopted by 192 member countries at the 25th UPU Congressin Doha, Qatar. We are looking forward to a fruitful relationship with IMRG.”
Aad Weening, head of international at IMRG, the UK-based association of e-commerce companies,said that while cross-border e-commerce grows, it’s more important than ever that e-retailers andthe postal sector work hand-in-hand.
“Close cooperation with postal operators and an important organisation such as the UPU isessential to identify the barriers and opportunities of the global market and smooth the way foronline merchants,” said Weening .“IMRG wishes to support the mission and objectives of the UPU bysharing its knowledge and expertise in several areas, particularly in the field of marketsdevelopment.”
IMRG, which seeks to promote best practices in the e-retailing market, produces market researchand provides consulting services to help businesses thrive in e-commerce. The association’s mostrecent publication shows that the e-commerce market is exploding in countries with emergingeconomies, not just in North America and Europe. The report also shows that cross-bordere-commerce, is growing.
According to the report, e-commerce sales in 2011 were estimated at €690 billion. IMRG expectsthe market will pass the trillion-euro mark in 2013.
Elsewhere within the UPU, Kenya and Uruguay have officially presented candidates for theposition of director general of the Universal Postal Union, which will be elected on 10 October2012 during the 25th Universal Postal Congress in Doha, Qatar and take over in January 2013
The candidate from Uruguay, Serrana Bassini Casco, secretary general of the Postal Union of theAmericas, Spain and Portugal (PUASP), based in Montevideo. Previously, she was an advisor at PUASPand also held several positions at the Uruguayan Post.
The Kenyan candidate, Ambassador Bishar A. Hussein, is the chairman of the UPU’s 2009-2012Council of Administration. He is also a past vice-chair of the UPU’s Postal Operations Council andchair of the UPU’s 24th Congress in Geneva in 2008. A former chief executive officer of the KenyanPost, he has also served as his country’s ambassador to the United Arab Emirates.
The UPU’s 192 member countries will also elect a deputy director general. Switzerland ispresenting the candidacy of Pascal Thierry Clivaz, while the United States of America is puttingforth Dennis Delehanty as its candidate for the position.
Clivaz has been director of finance and strategic planning at the UPU’s International Bureau inBerne since 2005. He is a former director of international affairs at the Swiss Post and a formerboard member of the Swiss Post General Secretariat. Delehanty is the director for postal affairs atthe US State Department. Before, he was in charge of the international postal affairs programme atthe United States Postal Service and worked at the UPU International Bureau in the late 80s andearly 90s.
Officials will be elected for a four-year mandate, starting on 1st January 2013. The candidateschosen in Doha will replace the outgoing director general, Edouard Dayan of France, and theoutgoing deputy director general, Guozhong Huang of China. Both are finishing two consecutive termsat the end of 2012.
The UPU’s member countries had until Monday 23 July – two months before the opening of Congresson 24 September – to present candidates to the elected positions.
