The International Council of Forest and Paper Associations (ICFPA) announced Ms. Heidi Brock, President and CEO of the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), as its new President. Joining her in leadership is Mr. José Carlos da Fonseca Junior, Director of International Relations of The Brazilian Tree (Ibá), who has been appointed as ICFPA Vice President. Ms. Brock and Mr. Fonseca will serve for a two-year mandate.

Ms. Heidi Brock previously served as ICFPA Vice President from 2022 to 2024. She succeeds Mr. Jori Ringman, Director General of the Confederation of European Paper Industries (Cepi), who previously held the ICFPA Presidency.

Since joining AF&PA in 2019, Ms. Brock has spearheaded a strategic vision to strengthen advocacy efforts and boost membership. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, she prioritized workplace safety and ensured manufacturers could maintain essential product delivery. Under her leadership, AF&PA launched an award-winning website and received 3 ASAE Silver Awards for promoting the forest products industry.

Ambassador José Carlos da Fonseca Junior had been a career diplomat in the Brazilian Foreign Service for nearly four decades before joining IBÁ, the Brazilian Tree Industry, in early 2019. Since December 2021, Ambassador Fonseca has also become the CEO of Empapel, the Brazilian Association of Paper Packaging, while remaining responsible for overseeing international and advocacy activities for IBÁ, both in Brazil and abroad. Moreover, he has recently been elected to chair the ACSFI/FAO (Advisory Committee on Sustainable Forest-based Industry, a Statutory body within FAO). His leadership focuses on advocating for sustainable practices within Brazil and globally.

The ICFPA serves as a forum of global dialogue, coordination and co-operation. Currently, the ICFPA represents 16 pulp, paper, wood and fibre-based associations that encompass 27 countries.