Kai Hughes named ICAC’s new ED

Kai Hughes has been selected by the Members of the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) to serve as its 7th Executive Director since 1949.

The Executive Director ad interim, Terry Townsend, will serve until August 31, and Hughes will assume the duties of Executive Director on September 1. Mr. Townsend will remain in Washington as an advisor to the new Executive Director for several weeks in September to ensure a smooth transition.

Hughes has been the Managing Director/CEO of the International Cotton Association (ICA), headquartered in Liverpool, UK, for the last 9 years. He has over 20 years of senior management experience in challenging environments, ranging from the Ministry of Defense, higher education, and not-for-profit organizations. As Managing Director of the ICA, Hughes has been acting globally at diplomatic and ministerial levels to promote contract sanctity and to lobby governments on trade issues affecting cotton.

Hughes offers approaches to challenges facing ICAC and the world cotton industry that are innovative and yet concrete and achievable. He has extensive knowledge of the world cotton industry and solid management experience. Mr. Hughes has a Masters of Business Administration (MBA), and he is fully conversant with the governance and administrative requirements for the running of complex organizations.

Hughes was selected by a Task Force on Executive Director Search composed of delegates from nine ICAC members and confirmed by the full Standing Committee on June 20, 2017. The Task Force reached a consensus to recommend Mr. Hughes for the position of Executive Director following an extensive, thorough and objective process of evaluation of all candidates.

The 76th Plenary Meeting of the ICAC since 1939 will be held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan during 22-27 October 2017.