Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

One World, One Industry: Meet Nicolas Robin, IPC’s New Senior Director in Europe

In May, IPC Europe welcomed new Senior Director Nicolas Robin. Based in Brussels, Nicolas will represent IPC and the electronics manufacturing industry in Europe. I recently sat down with Nicolas for a one-to-one conversation to get to know him better and introduce him to fellow electronics industry members.

John Mitchell: Nicolas, as senior director in Europe, what do your responsibilities include?

Nicolas Robin: In this role, I serve as IPC’s representative before European governmental officials, institutions, and public policy stakeholders. I will also be the coordinator and operational point of contact for IPC’s European membership.

Mitchell: Where did you work prior to IPC?

Robin: Prior to this position, I was public affairs director for the world’s largest glass container company—Owens-Illinois (O-I). I represented O-I in government affairs at the European Union and throughout Europe. I also worked with the European sustainability program leadership in support of corporate sustainability goals, including increasing the company’s use of recycled content. I have more than 25 years of experience in advocacy for companies at the European Union and national levels. I was director of public affairs for various consulting firms and assistant to a French member of the European Parliament. As a research fellow at Johns Hopkins University (USA), I conducted a series of seminars on European integration and its economic impact.

Mitchell: What are your goals for IPC Europe?

Robin: Currently, our European membership represents more than 600 sites. A new dynamic has been engaged in the region. Therefore, my goal is to expand IPC’s brand in Europe, reinforce IPC’s presence at a national level, and provide a full member and customer satisfaction service. To reach these objectives, IPC Europe will continue developing local activities for the industry, including networking and exchange of experience opportunities. We are running approximately 20 events across Europe in 2018. We want to strengthen our programs for specific segments of importance for our industry, such as automotive or medical devices. We will continue to support IPC education programs and IPC Europe’s network of training centers. I would like to facilitate European industry participation in IPC activities, especially standards development.

Regarding public affairs, my objective is to increase IPC’s value for members as a source of policy information and advocacy, and ultimately make IPC a principal advocacy platform for our members. To this end, we are going to launch IPC’s European Government Relations Committee composed of the members who would like to engage in shaping our positions on policy issues affecting the industry.

To read the full version of this article which originally appeared in the September 2018 issue of PCB007 Magazine, click here.