Following the voting held this Decembre 3rd 2025 by our General Assembly, we are delighted to introduce Philip van Nieuwenhuizen as our new President for 2026 – 2029.
In his acceptance speech, President-elect van Nieuwenhuizen commenced the address by expressing profound gratitude and offering a distinguished tribute to the former President Gunilla Almgren. The President acknowledged her incredible presence and unwavering commitment to SBS since its very inception, noting that her visionary leadership and tireless efforts have been instrumental in establishing SBS as the leading voice for SMEs in standardisation. This dedication, the President stated, has created a solid foundation upon which the new mandate will build. Following this acknowledgment, the President thanked the member organisations, partners, experts, and staff for their confidence and dedication, underscoring that SBS carries the “hopes and ambitions of some 22.5 million SMEs across Europe.”
The President laid out a clear and purposeful plan for the new term, focusing on four chief strategic priorities designed to enhance SBS’s influence and support for SMEs:
- Widening SBS’s Reach at National Level
Acknowledging that “our strength lies in numbers,” the President committed to a focused outreach drive to expand membership, particularly amongst national SME associations and sectoral bodies currently operating outside the SBS fold.
- Communicating the Tangible Impact of Standards
The new leadership intends to highlight the concrete advantages of standardisation for SMEs, directly linking SBS’s work to European competitiveness, resilience, and public procurement. Standards, though sometimes perceived as technical, “lower costs, reduce errors, accelerate time to market,” and ensure easier entry into new markets and regulatory adherence for smaller firms.
- Boosting Influence in Emerging Technology Standardisation
Given the swift pace of digitalisation, AI, cybersecurity, and green technologies, The President emphasised the need to ensure SMEs are not left behind. SBS will step up its presence within the technical committees of CEN, CENELEC, ETSI, ISO, and IEC.
Closer collaboration will be fostered with ICT-focused SME networks and start-ups to “shape standards that support interoperability, sustainability, safety, and innovation, ensuring that new technology standards remain SME-friendly.”
- Securing and Reinforcing Funding
SBS is co-financed by the European Commission and EFTA, which is crucial for appointing experts to committees. The President committed to engaging proactively with policymakers to secure and reinforce this vital funding.
The President concluded with an invitation for action, urging all stakeholders to contribute their expertise and ideas to ensure “the voice of EU SMEs is well integrated into standardisation work
Read more on the press release.
