PRESS RELEASE  – 31 March  2026

Members of Union Fleurs, the International Flower Trade Association, have elected a new President and Board of Directors on the occasion of the General Assembly held in Sanremo, Italy on 27 March 2026. The new Union Fleurs Board of Directors will work for the next two years (2026-2028) under the leadership of Matthijs Mesken, Managing Director of VGB, the Association of Dutch Wholesalers in Floricultural Products.

Matthijs Mesken (58) succeeds outgoing President Augusto Solano (Asocolflores, Colombia), who held the position of President since 2022. The Board of Directors and members of Union Fleurs are immensely grateful to Augusto Solano for his outstanding service at Board level for many years and for his highly valuable contribution to Union Fleurs goals and mission over the past 25 years.

The new President Matthijs Mesken brings 30 years of experience in the horticulture sector in the Netherlands and a large well-established network at national and international levels. A horticulture graduate of Wageningen University, Matthijs Mesken joined the VGB in 2017 to lead the activities of the association as Managing Director. The VGB represents the collective interests of Dutch wholesalers, importers and exporters of flowers and plants; its membership account to approximately 75% of the Dutch export value (7,1 billion EUR in 2024).

Matthijs Mesken has served on the Board of Union Fleurs since 2018 on behalf of the Netherlands. He also serves on several Boards of organisations of the floriculture sector in the Netherlands (Quality Control Bureau (KCB), Hortipoint, and MPS amongst others). Matthijs Mesken is highly experienced in advocacy and sector representation, and passionate about bridging entrepreneurship and policymaking.

Reflecting the global reach of Union Fleurs and its unique position as the representative organisation for the international floricultural trade, the Union Fleurs Board elected for the next 2 years is made of a very international team, with the following representatives:

• Matthijs Mesken, President (VGB, the Netherlands)
• Peter Larsen-Ledet, Vice-President (Flora Dania, Denmark)
• Clement Tulezi (Kenya Flower Council, Kenya)
• Paolo di Massa (ANCEF, Italy)
• Adrian Moreano (Expoflores, Ecuador), who succeeds Augusto Solano in representing South America at Board level

They will be supported in their role by Sylvie Mamias, Secretary General of Union Fleurs, who runs the daily operations of the association from its headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.

Union Fleurs and its members extend their congratulations to the new President and new Board of Directors and look forward to their continued contribution in promoting international cooperation in strategic areas of relevance for the international floricultural trade and in addressing ongoing and future challenges for the benefit of the association’s members and of the international floriculture supply-chain at large.

The Union Fleurs Annual General Meeting was hosted by ANCEF, the Italian member association of Union Fleurs, on the occasion of the Sanremo Flower Festival (25-29 March 2026). The rich programme covered professional visits, conferences, flower exhibitions. Company visits included: Zunino Cactus (growers of cacti & succulent), Azienda Di Giorgio (breeder of carnations), the Sanremo Flower Market (the most important flower market in southern Europe and the Mediterranean basin), Fratelli Boeri (growers of ranunculus and other cut flowers & foliage) and Biancheri Creazioni (specialised breeder of Ranunculus, Anemones and Poppies)

Participants were positively impressed by the unique insights offered into the state of play of the flower industry in Sanremo and by the entrepreneurial spirit, dynamism and innovation capacities demonstrated by all industry players in Sanremo. The AGM programme concluded on 29 March 2026 with the traditional “Sanremo in Fiore” flower parade, a parade of floats decorated with thousands of fresh flowers created by local municipalities. The parade is a landmark event of the Ligurian spring and the floral culture of the city of Sanremo and the entire Riviera dei Fiori.

Union Fleurs new President and Board of Directors (2026-2028) with outgoing President Augusto Solano – Union Fleurs General Assembly, 27 March 2026, Sanremo, Italy

From left to right: Adrian Moreano (Expoflores, Ecuador), Sylvie Mamias (Union Fleurs Secretary General), outgoing President Augusto Solano (Asocolflores, Colombia), new President of Union Fleurs Matthijs Mesken (VGB, the Netherlands), Paolo di Massa (ANCEF, Italy), Vice-President of Union Fleurs Peter Larsen-Ledet (Flora Dania, Denmark)

Missing from the picture: Clement Tulezi (Kenya Flower Council, Kenya)

Union Fleurs members visiting Biancheri Creazioni (specialised breeder of Ranunculus, Anemones and Poppies) on 26 March 2026 during the Union Fleurs AGM 2026 in Sanremo, Italy

Downloads: 

• Union Fleurs Press Release (31 March 2026)