Juan Vicente Gomez Moya, president of the Advisory Committee of the I.O.C. for many years, has passed away. He dedicated many years of his career to the olive oil sector, having been the director of ASOLIVA, the Spanish Olive Oil Exporters Association, up until his retirement in 2009.
In Greece we met him in 2001, as a guest speaker of the 1st International Council organized by “Axion Edkotiki” and “Olive & Olive Oil” magazine (The new quality strategy of the EU and the future prospects of the Greek olive oil sector). J.V. Gomez Moya talked about the Spanish sectors’ structure and organization, he emphasized that the separating lines among oil producers, dealers and bottlers are slim and that there was a climate of convergence and interdependence among all parties of the sector, while the big increase of the Spanish exports was beginning. He highlighted that the abundance and good quality of raw materials were not as important as the image, promotion and commercial distribution of a product (see “Olive & Olive Oil” magazine, issue 25). In this two-day Council he won us over by his approachability and dignity.
Born in 1940, he studied Law, before being a high-ranking executive in the Municipal Administration at several Spanish cities. He has been a commercial advisor to the Spanish Embassy in Paris and Marketing Manager of the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade (ICEX). He was awarded a title of honor (Order of Civil Merit) by the Spanish Ministry of Food, Fishing and Agricultural Development for his services to the Spanish state.
We express our appreciation and respect, along with our condolences to his family and friends.
