ACEM Cocktail Reception held at the BMW Brand Store in Brussels

2014 marks the 20^th Anniversary of the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM).  As part of this year’s celebrations, on 24^th June numerous guests attended the ACEM cocktail-reception, kindly hosted by BMW’s Brussels Brand Store.

2014 marks the 20^th Anniversary of the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM).  As part of this year’s celebrations, on 24^th June numerous guests attended the ACEM cocktail-reception, kindly hosted by BMW’s Brussels Brand Store.

The event provided an opportunity for former Secretary General Jacques Compagne to say farewell to ACEM members and key EU stakeholders, as he is retiring at the end of July. It also marked the appointment of Antonio Perlot as new Secretary General, position effectively held since beginning of May when Mr. Compagne has taken on the role of Senior Advisor to the ACEM Secretary General and Executive Committee.

For the occasion, Stephan Schaller, ACEM President and President of BMW Motorrad, delivered a keynote speech. Mr. Schaller’s speech emphasized ACEM’s achievements since its creation in 1994 and the important contribution to the industry brought by Mr. Compagne, first as Peugeot Scooters delegate within ACEM, and then as a leading figure for ACEM as Secretary General for the past 10 years, and the cooperation with Mr. Perlot, who served as ACEM Public Affairs Manager since 2006. 

The ACEM President also briefly focused on some of the challenges that lie ahead, and on the importance of the Secretariat continuing the good cooperation with Brussels-based stakeholders, to the mutual benefit of Industry and the EU institutions.

ACEM’s former Secretary Generals, Bernd Thomas and Federico Galliano were also present. The participation of Mr. Thomas and Mr. Galliano provided a symbolic opportunity to have four Secretary Generals attending the same event, as a testimony of the long-standing ACEM presence in Brussels and an outlook on the future of the association, as it enters its third decade of existence.  Amongst the other highlights of the evening was a small exhibition of motorcycles, historic and modern, and the launch of a video on the core values associated to motorcycling.