CAOBISCO, the Association of the Chocolate, Biscuits & Confectionery Industries of Europe, met in Vienna for its annual General Council and General Assembly meeting. During this event, CAOBISCO members unanimously elected a new TROIKA to lead the association for the next two years. CAOBISCO welcomed Mr. Can Buharali (Mondelez International) as the President, and Mr. Aldo Crisitano (Ferrero) and Mr. Tobias Bachmüller (Katjes Fassin GmbH & Co. KG) as the two Vice Presidents.
Speaking after his election, Mr. Can Buharali said: “I am deeply honoured and grateful for the trust that CAOBISCO members have placed in me. I am committed to advancing our industry’s interests. I would like to extend my thanks to Aldo Cristiano for his outstanding leadership and dedication as the outgoing president. His contributions have been invaluable, and I aim to build upon the strong foundation he has established. Together, we will continue to advance our shared goals and drive the industry forward.”
Mr. Buharali is currently Senior Director for Global Public Affairs at Mondelez. Prior to his current role he was Regional Director Corporate and Government Affairs for the Asia Pacific Middle East and Africa (AMEA) Region out of Singapore. He has also held commercial roles at Mondelez, leading export business as International Sales Director for local brands. Before joining the corporate world, he worked in consultancy and foreign affairs as a career diplomat, serving in Brussels and Tehran.
Mr. Bachmüller is Managing Shareholder of Katjes and has been involved in the CAOBISCO Troika for many year. He held the position of President from 2012 to 2014 and of Vice President from 2010-2012 and 2014-2016. Mr Bachmüller has been a members of the Executive Board of BDSI (Bundesverband der Deutschen Süsswarenindustrie e.V.) since 2001.
Mr. Aldo Cristiano held the position of CAOBISCO President since 2020. Mr. Cristiano was Board Member of the ICI (International Cocoa Initiative) from 2007-2016 and also member of the Consultative Board at the ICCO (International Cocoa Organization). Additionally, from 2012 to 2018 he served as a member of the Board of Directors at the WCF (World Cocoa Foundation) and from 2015 to 2018, as Chairman of the FCC (Federation of Cocoa Commerce).
This newly formed leadership team, with their extensive experience and diverse backgrounds in the confectionery industry, is expected to bring valuable insights and strategic direction to CAOBISCO, supporting the association’s goals and the interests of the European chocolate, biscuits, and confectionery industries.