New IULTCS vice president
Published: 17th Nov 2023

Northampton, UK (06 November 2023) – Geoff Holmes has been elected as the vice president of the International Union of Leather Technologists & Chemists (IULTCS) with effect from January 2024.
He has a long history in the leather industry, having studied Leather Technology at the Leathersellers College at the University of Northampton. Prior to this he graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Applied Science at Kingston University, London.
The IULTCS Executive Committee is confident that he will make an excellent Vice President and move on to be a successful President in 2026. We look forward to working closely with him in the months and years ahead.
Tags: IULTCS, Geoff Holmes
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