The IRF Family mourns the loss of former executives, Manfred Swarovski and Tony Pearce

The Chairman, the Board and Executive Committee of the International Road Federation in Geneva have been deeply saddened by the loss over the past weeks of two IRF leading figures: Manfred Swarovski and Tony Pearce. "The IRF Family loses an exceptional professional and a very dear friend," said Kiran K Kapila, chairman of IRF (Geneva). Manfred Swarovski has been a leading figure of the International Road Federation (IRF) for decades. He has served in many positions not least as chairman of IRF in Geneva an
July 11, 2018 Read time: 2 mins
Tony Pearce
The Chairman, the Board and Executive Committee of the International Road Federation in Geneva have been deeply saddened by the loss over the past weeks of two IRF leading figures: Manfred Swarovski and Tony Pearce.


"The IRF Family loses an exceptional professional and a very dear friend," said Kiran K Kapila, chairman of IRF (Geneva). Manfred Swarovski has been a leading figure of the International Road Federation (IRF) for decades. He has served in many positions not least as chairman of IRF in Geneva and chairman of the Global Executive Committee of IRF. "Manfred's vision has always been to shape a single powerful and integrated organisation. It is the spirit with which we still continue to work in Geneva," added Kapila.

With Tony Pearce, former director general of 1201 IRF Geneva, the IRF loses one of its masterminds and an outstanding personality who has largely defined IRF and its work over the past decades. “Tony has been a primary spokesman and ambassador for the IRF worldwide. Most of it, he has been a friend to many of us in the profession. Tony has taught us tenacity in all its forms. It is that same tenacity that still drives IRF (Geneva) today," said Susanna Zammataro, IRF executive director.

The IRF wishes to express its most sincere condolences to the family of Manfred and of Tony and wishes to thank all those in the profession who have been kindly writing over the past weeks to manifest their appreciation for these two makers of the IRF family and to share with us their most cherished souvenirs.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Philipp Swarovski lays down the marker
    June 10, 2019
    Swarco’s chief operating officer Philipp Swarovski shares his thoughts on highway safety and infrastructure in an age of uncertain future needs. David Arminas reports It was in Austria in 1969 when Manfred Swarovski opened his first glass bead factory. Five years later, operations started in the US. As the years rolled by there followed acquisitions and expansion of manufacturing facilities as well as a shift into intelligent transportation systems globally. Fast forward to 2019 and the family compan
    Read More
  • IRF Global to Shape Discussions on Future Roads – key meeting point
    July 4, 2018
    A new international meeting point gathers road innovators with the world’s top policymakers. Technology and innovations are evolving at a pace never seen before in the history of the road and transport sector. From innovations in materials, such as self-healing concrete and rubberised asphalt, to advances in construction equipment automation, and of course, the dawn of the connected and automated vehicle, many experts agree that road mobility is on the verge of a new era. “With such remarkable development
    Read More
  • Step up Action! IRF in New York for the launch of the UN Road Safety Fund
    June 15, 2018
    The Road Safety community gathered in New York on 12th-13th April for the launch of a new United Nations Road Safety Trust Fund. The new UN Fund is intended to catalyse road safety action across the globe, using donations to help unlock new government and municipal funding and refocus national road safety budgets towards proven ‘Safe System’ interventions. The FIA Foundation has pledged a donation of US$10 million to kick-start the fund launched by UN deputy secretary-general Amina Mohammed. The FIA Found
    Read More
  • The UK’s TRL body is now a corporate member of the IRF Geneva
    August 28, 2013
    As recently announced by the Chair of IRF Geneva, Kiran Kapila, “we are pleased to welcome TRL, the UK’s Transport Research Laboratory, to the IRF family. With its wide-ranging and global road-related research activities, TRL represents a true asset to the IRF membership. We are excited at the prospect of working closely with TRL towards a world of safe, sustainable and efficient roads and road networks.” With over 80 years of knowledge and experience embedded in its history, TRL’s vision is to meet mode
    Read More

Highlighted Content