Conseil d’Administration
At the Annual General Meeting in Paris on May 12, 2012, three new members were appointed to the Conseil d’Administration:
Ian Fairservice – Bailli Délégué of Dubai
Ian Fairservice moved to Dubai in 1978 as young hotel school graduate. His first job there was as Assistant General Manager of the second 5-star hotel to open in the Emirate. Eighteen months later he left his hotel career behind to launch the region’s first English language magazine “What’s On”. Together with his partner Obaid Humaid Al-Tayer, who is now the UAE Minister of State for Finance, he has seen the company develop into one of the most successful media houses in the region, publishing a wide range of award winning magazines and books.
In April 1981, Ian was one of the 40 founder members of the Bailliage of Dubai and the Northern Emirates and given his background, he soon became Chargé de Presse. In 1986 he was appointed Chancelier, a position he held for eighteen years during which he was presented with the Jean Valby medal. He was appointed to the Conseil Magistral in 2001 and in 2004 was promoted to be Bailli Délégué for Dubai and the Northern Emirates.
Ian is also a member of the Cookery and Food association of Great Britain and a Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society. He was the founder member of the World Chef’s Guild in the Middle East. His other hobbies include golf, fishing and writing poetry. Married with four children, Ian Fairservice, who is 56, still spends most of his time in Dubai but also has homes in London and the South of France.
Jim Pozzi – Argentier of the USA
Jim Pozzi graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor Degree in Mathematics. In 1972 he began working in the Actuarial Department of the American National Insurance Company in Galveston, Texas. He has held various positions with the company until being elected President and Chief Operating Officer in April 2012.
He is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries (FSA) and a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries.
Just as in his professional career, Jim’s Chaîne “career” has also now seen him rise to the top. In 1996 he was inducted as Vice-Echanson of the Galveston Island Bailliage, soon became Vice-Argentier and then Echanson Provincial for the Southwest Region, USA. In 2005 he was elected to the Bailliage of the USA National Audit Committee and in 2008 was promoted to be Grand Echanson of the USA and in 2011 he became Argentier.
At international level, Jim was appointed a Member of the Conseil Magistral in 2011, an appointment which quickly progressed to be that of a Member of the Conseil d’Administration – as confirmed at the Paris AGM in May 2012.
Carl Wachtmeister – Bailli Délégué of Sweden
Carl Wachtmeister, whose formal title is Count Wachtmeister af Johannishus is now Logistics Manager for "Bjoorn.se", a Swedish internet retailer. Post-College he joined the Royal Swedish Navy in the mid-Eighties rising to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander before taking up his current civilian job.
In the Navy his first posting was as 1st Chef catering for a crew of 20 aboard a fast patrol boat. He graduated to be a cooking instructor at the Royal Swedish Naval Supply School before being promoted to several posts specialising in logistics, finance and administration both at home and abroad. He took a United Nations Military Observer Course which led to a year’s posting (2002-2003) as an Observer with UNIKOM (Iraq and Kuwait).
A member of many societies and clubs, Carl is much involved in fishing, hunting, travelling, politics and social activities in general. One of his greatest passions though is to write articles on gastronomy, as well as sailing and military topics, for various magazines.
Carl joined the Chaîne in 1995 as a Chevalier, was promoted in 2000 to be Vice-Conseiller Gastronomique of the Bailliage du Stockholm, an office he held until 2007. Given other commitments he took a back seat from Chaîne matters until being approached in 2009 to become Bailli Délégué of Sweden. At International level, just like Jim Pozzi above, Carl was appointed a Member of the Conseil Magistral in 2011, before being upgraded to be a Member of the Conseil d’Administration in Paris in May 2012.
Carl speaks Swedish, English and has a good understanding of Danish, Norwegian and German. He is engaged to Anna and has a Jack Russell terrier called Alice.
Retirements from the Conseil d’Administration
After many years of service to the Chaîne at National and International level, Burton Hobson (Bailli Délégué Honoraire of the USA) and Prof Dr Wolfgang Frhr von Stetten, Bailli Délégué Honoraire of Germany) both became Members Honoraire of the Conseil d’Administration.
Conseil Magistral
There was just one change made at the Paris meeting.
Bernard Seignat, Chancelier of France, was appointed to be a Member of the Conseil Magistral.
He replaced Michel Cottray, Bailli Délégué Honoraire of France, who had moved from his position as Area Manager South of France & Monaco with Starwood Hotels & Resorts to take up a new post within the Group as General Manager of The Westin Resort, Costa Navarino, Greece.
Conseil d’Honneur
Three Chaîne stalwarts are appointed to the prestigious Conseil d’Honneur
Having stood down from the Conseil d’Administration, Burton Hobson, Bailli Délégué Honoraire of the USA, was appointed to the prestigious Conseil d’Honneur to acknowledge his many years of devoted service to the Chaîne both in the USA and internationally.
Equally honoured were Peter Musa from Switzerland and Beyti Güler from Turkey.
Burton Hobson Peter Musa Beyti Güler
Peter Musa is the former International Vice-President, a Member Honoraire of the Conseil d’Administration and Bailli Délégué Honoraire of Switzerland. He has been a Chaîne member and officer, locally, nationally and internationally, during a period spanning over 40 years.
Beyti Güler has the honorary grade of Bailli d’Honneur of Turkey. His restaurant, called simply “Beyti”, which he started with his father in 1945, specialises in roasted meat. It has catered for heads of state, high-ranking politicians, top businessmen and celebrities from around the globe during their visits to Istanbul. The Beyti kebab, a specialty named after him, is the most popular dish.
Marie Jones
Managing Editor
