EUROPE. European Travel Retail Confederation (ETRC) Senior Counsel Keith Spinks will step down at the end of August after more than 30 years of service to the industry.
ETRC President Nigel Keal paid tribute to Spinks’s “legendary commitment” to the duty free sector. “He has been at the forefront of every major lobbying campaign we have fought since 1990, and his efforts have in many ways ensured the continued growth and sustainability of this industry,” Keal added.
Spinks started lobbying for the duty free industry in 1988 and served as Secretary General for the ETRC and its predecessor the ITRC from 2000-2019. Since Julie Lassaigne’s appointment as Secretary General in 2019, Spinks has acted as Senior Counsel with specific responsibility for the tobacco sector.
Spinks said he had enjoyed every day of lobbying for the industry over the last 30+ years – except the day intra-EU duty free ended on 30 June 1999.
He added: “This is a business full of innovation, diversity, excitement, and most of all, great people. It has been my pleasure to work alongside such people as Frank O’Connell and Sarah Branquinho who have been real trailblazers in protecting the business.
“I will be stepping down from ETRC at the end of August, but still plan to remain active within the industry and will be seeking out interesting projects for the future.”
