SINGAPORE (Jan. 8, 2009)—Hidde P. Smit, secretary-general of the International Rubber Study Group since 2007, will be leaving that post in 2010.
The intergovernmental organization is advertising for the position, and Smit said in response to an e-mail that his term will be over and he isn't eligible to remain in that position. His successor will take office on Jan. 1, 2010.
The IRSG relocated to Singapore from London last year, and Smit said he set up the new office and hired and trained an almost entirely new staff. He isn't sure what he'll do after leaving the post, but said he'd like to remain involved in “activities using my capabilities in forecasting developments in the rubber industry.”