The Frontier Duty Free Association (FDFA) has named Barbara Barrett as Executive Director following the departure of Laurie Karson last year. The board has also appointed advocacy firm Impact Public Affairs to represent the interests of industry members.

These latest developments come as the FDFA announces a new strategic direction aimed at ensuring a ‘proactive and effective’ advocacy voice in Ottawa and across the country.

Abe Taqtaq, FDFA President said: “The Board of Directors listened to our membership. The clear message was to re-evaluate our representation and develop a coordinated government relations strategy to ensure our member’s needs are met and to take the association to a new and higher level.

“This move is aimed at ensuring we proactively create the regulatory environment for our member’s long term success and growth.”

STRONG REPUTATION

Impact Public Affairs has a 20-year reputation of building winning advocacy campaigns for trade associations with a speciality in the retail and small business sector. It is the only advocacy firm to win the Canadian Society of Association Executive’s award for business excellence to national associations.

Taqtaq added: “The Board is equally excited to bring Barbara Barrett on board to ‘quarterback’ FDFA efforts. Barbara and our team will be imbedded in Ottawa with Impact so that they can provide members with a full range of lobbying, communications, media and social media support.”

Barrett brings over 20 years of high level public affairs expertise to FDFA. She has held senior leadership and executive roles for Jaguar Land Rover, a leading global automotive company and contributed to record sales and media results.

“The Frontier Duty Free Association has a great history of fostering a highly competitive Canadian land border duty free industry that is vibrant, creative, progressive and best-in-class among land border and airport duty free retailers worldwide.  We will build on this history and ensurewe have a world class industry representative moving forward,” she said.

FDFA, which announced changes to its annual duty free convention programme earlier this year, represents the interests of Canada’s duty free shops. Active membership includes 26 Canadian land border duty free shops and associate members comprise Canadian Airport and US land border duty free shops.