A selection committee formed of the International Cotton Association (ICA) officers have appointed Bill Kingdon as their Managing Director following a rigorous and robust recruitment process. The ICA Officers worked closely with a recruitment agency to guarantee a professional and independent process to select a new managing director over a period of three months.
The appointment of Kingdon was announced during the ICA trade event in Singapore in October and Bill joined the team in Liverpool on November 6, 2017.
Speaking about Kingdon’s appointment, then-ICA President Jürg Reinhart said, “I am very pleased with the selection procedures and I am absolutely convinced Bill will lead the Secretariat and the Association very well.â€Â
Prior to joining the ICA Kingdon stated, “I am greatly looking forward to joining the ICA as MD. I have lived and worked overseas for much of my professional life as a soldier and senior leader in UK Defence. My family has joined me in Washington DC, Germany and Cyprus where we have enjoyed being part of these communities and cultures. I have learned the benefits of collaboration and partnering as a member of international teams all over the world, including Afghanistan, Iraq and Bosnia & Herzegovina. As a brigade commander, I have prepared large organisations for deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan as part of the British Army in Germany; managed a varied and fascinating strategic portfolio as the chief operating officer for British Forces in Cyprus and provided the focus for collaboration between international organisations, the Afghan government, diplomats and NATO in Kabul. Most recently, as a consultant, I have led a small team acting as a catalyst for cultural change within the British Army. I have masters’ degrees in law from Cambridge and defence studies from King’s College London. I am looking forward to being part of the evolution of the ICA as it adapts to meet the needs of the global cotton community and getting to know you, the members and staff of the ICA, as quickly as I can.â€Â