Pier Francesco Vago will remain at the head of CLIA Europe

Pier Francesco Vago will remain CLIA Europe President next year after receiving the unanimous support of the organization's Board of Directors.
The CLIA Europe Board of Directors, responsible for the strategic direction of the cruise industry association in Europe, has decided to reappoint Pier Francesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC Cruises, as CLIA Europe President.
Vago recently completed his two-year term as CLIA Europe President, having first been appointed in November 2013 to lead the European branch of the Cruise Lines International Association. The CLIA Europe Board members unanimously requested that he remain at the helm of the association for another year, as, according to CLIA Europe's bylaws, after completing an initial two-year term, the President is eligible for a one-year reappointment.
The Board has also decided to appoint Kyriakos Anastassiadis, Chief Executive of Celestyal Cruises, asa permanent member of the CLIA Executive Committee, which provides the association with a high level of management expertise. In this role, Anastassiadis will play a crucial part in representing the views and interests of CLIA Europe’s smaller cruise line members.
The other members of the Executive Committee, confirmed by the Board of Directors, are: David Dingle, President of Carnival UK and Vice President of CLIA Europe; Manfredi Lefebvred’ Ovidio, President of Silversea Cruises; Dominic Paul, International Vice President of Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises & Azamara Club Cruises and Managing Director of RCL Cruises Ltd; and Michael Thamm, Chief Executive of the Costa Group.
Pier Francesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC Cruises and Chairman of CLIA Europe, said: “It is a true honor and I am very grateful for the Board’s decision to continue entrusting me with the role of Chairman of CLIA Europe for this additional term. The past two years have brought profound change to CLIA Europe, as we have moved away from the former European Cruise Council to embrace a global and integrated CLIA structure. During this time, we have worked hard to address all the challenges that have arisen along the way. Thanks to our efforts, we have reaffirmed ourselves as an effective team of professionals with a stronger presence in Europe. I will remain committed to meeting the expectations of my colleagues and will dedicate myself fully to the coming year.”
 Raphael von Heereman, Secretary General of CLIA Europe, emphasized that “Pier Francesco has been instrumental to CLIA Europe’s success over the past two years. Thanks to his tireless support, European cruise industry leaders are now more involved than ever in the association’s daily work. He has helped us significantly expand our effectiveness in Brussels and other European capitals in governance, communications, and business development. As a result, we have notably increased the added value we deliver to our cruise line members and executive partners. I am confident that, with Vago at the helm, the coming year will be full of success for CLIA Europe and the European cruise industry.”