Brazilian tanners’ association CICB has appointed Luiz Augusto Siqueira Bittencourt as their president for the 2007 – 2009 period. Bittencourt took up the role from predecessor Umberto Cilião Sacchelli, at a ceremony which was held in Novo Hamburgo on October 24.&rtreturn;Bittencourt, an engineering graduate with a post-grad qualification in foreign commerce, was finance director of the national department of infrastructure and transport before joining CICB.&rtreturn;Hélio Mendes will take up the position of executive director of CICB previously occupied by Bittencourt. Until now, Mendes has been responsible for the strategic management of the association. Mendes is president of the Instituto Latino and consultant to many companies in the leather processing sector.