Christophe Aussenac reflects on his rewarding term as FESPA President, emphasizing growth, teamwork, and transformation. He focused on integrating sustainability, achieving ISO 20121 certification, and launching expert guides. Aussenac also prioritised inspiring the next generation through educational programmes. He expresses gratitude for collaborations and confidence in the new president, Daniel Sunderland.
Never did I imagine that I would one day become President of FESPA, the world’s largest print Association. As I reflect on my term and my incredible journey, I am filled with a deep sense of pride and gratitude. This journey has been both humbling and inspiring, reinforcing my belief in the powers of collaboration, innovation and education.
One of the greatest rewards of my Presidency was the relationships I have built – with FESPA Board Members, our Association leaders, industry partners and the wider print community. I have always believed in the importance of sharing knowledge and experiences, and I have seen first-hand that when we come together as an industry, we create opportunities for growth, learning and innovation that benefit everyone.
Initially, balancing my responsibilities as FESPA President while running my own company (ATC – Autorise Toute Creativité, established in 1991) was no easy task. It took me nearly a year to find the right balance and I will always be grateful for the support of my business partners and the FESPA team during this period of change. The experience reinforced to me the value of teamwork and trust.
Focus areas during my Presidency
Sustainability has been a personal passion of mine for nearly two decades and I was eager to make it a key focus during my term as FESPA President. While sustainability has become a focal topic across many industries in recent years, I began implementing practices in my own company, ATC, 17 years ago. Based on this, I can safely say that I understand the complexities of integrating greener practices into business operations, and I wanted to ensure that FESPA takes on similar responsibilities to lead by example. During my time as FESPA President, I worked with FESPA CEO, Neil Felton, and FESPA Head of Associations & Technical Lead, Graeme Richardson-Locke, to help FESPA achieve ISO 20121:2012 Certification for Sustainable Events Management, demonstrating our commitment to leading by example and reducing the impact of print. In addition, in 2024, we launched expert-authored guides on navigating sustainability legislation, titled: ‘Calculating Carbon’; ‘Sustainable Certification Scheme Guide’ and ‘Glossary of Terms’.
Another priority during my Presidency was inspiring the next generation of print professionals. I worked with our global network of Associations to ensure their offering of training and programmes to their local print communities included educational resources and events specifically targeting the next generation.
As my term as FESPA President comes to an end, I am excited for the future of FESPA and the print industry. I have full confidence in our new President – Daniel Sunderland, Vice President of Canagraf (La Cámara Nacional de la Industria de Artes Gráficas), FESPA’s National Association in Mexico – and look forward to supporting him, in my FESPA Board Member capacity, as he gets stuck into his new role. Beyond that, my commitment to sustainability and education will continue to drive me, both in my business and within the industry at large.
Being FESPA President has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. I am proud of what we have accomplished together and I will continue to support a strong, innovative and sustainable future for print. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey with me. I look forward to seeing what we can achieve next!