EDANA, the global association serving the nonwovens and related industries, has announced the appointment of five new Board members following its 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Brussels on 17–18 June.
The newly elected Board members will serve a three-year term from 1 July 2026 to 1 July 2029, joining the existing Board of Governors to help steer EDANA’s strategy, policies and priorities as the association continues to support the evolving nonwovens sector across hygiene, healthcare, consumer products and industrial applications.
EDANA said the appointments reflect the organisation’s commitment to bringing together senior leaders from across the value chain, with expertise spanning brand communications, finance, product development, research and development, chemicals, materials and industrial operations.
New Board members elected at EDANA AGM 2026
The five executives elected to the EDANA Board of Governors are:
- Giulia Antonioli, who will serve as Executive Officer on the EDANA Board. Antonioli brings more than two decades of experience in brand communication, reputation management and advocacy at Procter & Gamble (P&G). Since 2019, she has led Europe’s Brand Communications, Reputation and Advocacy for Baby Care, combining deep consumer goods expertise with prior experience in EU institutional affairs, including roles linked to the European Commission and the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Belgium.
- Carles Moix, who leads Finance for EMEA and Asia at Magnera. Moix joins the Board with extensive international leadership experience across manufacturing, industrial and packaging sectors, and a strong background in P&L management, financial transformation, restructuring, global operations and cross-border mergers and acquisitions.
- Robert A. Friedline, Ph.D., who heads EMEA Product Development at Kenvue across categories including women’s health, skin health and oral care. Friedline has more than 20 years of experience in global consumer health and innovation, and has overseen research and development programmes for brands such as o.b.®, Carefree®, Neutrogena® and Listerine®.
- Brian Udengaard, a long-standing nonwovens industry executive with more than 20 years of experience, particularly in the hygiene sector. He recently joined Nitto Advanced Film Solutions to lead strategic R&D programmes, helping combine internal nonwoven production capabilities with external technology partnerships.
- Thomas Peter Schiele, a senior executive and economist with a doctorate from the University of Mannheim, who brings significant international leadership experience from BASF SE. Schiele has held multiple vice president roles in polymers, energy procurement, paper coating chemicals and adhesives across Europe, Asia and South America.
EDANA Board plays central role in industry strategy
The EDANA Board of Governors is elected by member companies at the association’s AGM and is made up of senior executives representing different geographies and sectors of the nonwovens industry. The Board is responsible for guiding EDANA’s overall strategic direction and approving the association’s policies and priorities.
It meets three times a year and plays a key role in shaping EDANA’s work on sustainability, innovation, regulatory affairs, product stewardship, market intelligence and industry collaboration.
By bringing together leaders from multinational consumer goods companies, raw material suppliers, nonwovens manufacturers and technology players, the Board helps ensure that EDANA’s agenda reflects the broad needs of the sector at a time when the industry is facing rapid shifts in sustainability expectations, hygiene demand, supply chain transformation and materials innovation.
Strong cross-sector expertise for the nonwovens sector
The appointment of the five new Board members comes at a time when the nonwovens industry is increasingly being shaped by circularity, product innovation, performance materials, healthcare demand and regulatory change.
The new Board members bring complementary expertise across areas that are central to the future of nonwovens. These include consumer product development, fibre and polymer materials, industrial manufacturing, strategic communications, financial leadership and R&D management.
Their appointment is expected to strengthen EDANA’s ability to represent the interests of the global nonwovens value chain while supporting member companies as they navigate changing customer expectations and sustainability requirements.
EDANA thanks departing Board members
Alongside welcoming the new Governors, EDANA also extended its appreciation to the departing Board members for their service and contribution to the association.
In its AGM statement, the association thanked outgoing members for their dedication and support in advancing EDANA’s work, and wished them success in their future roles.
With a refreshed Board and a new three-year term ahead, EDANA is positioning itself to continue supporting the nonwovens sector through a period of technological change, regulatory complexity and growing emphasis on responsible materials and product performance.