Skip to main content

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

  • The IRF Road Safety Challenge aims to cut the rate of deaths and injuries for Africa
    May 15, 2015
    With the IRF Road Safety Challenge launched in Addis Ababa in early March, IRF reiterates its strong commitment towards making the recommendations for the Decade of Action a reality worldwide In its commitment to act as a catalyst in raising awareness and in promoting immediate practical actions, IRF has brought together Ministers from all over Africa under the auspices of the African Union, the World Bank and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). An IRF Africa Chapter under the requ
  • Promoting advances in sustainable roads worldwide
    February 8, 2012
    The International Road Federation (IRF), founded in 1948, is the only world forum advocating better and safer roads through better road design and construction bearing in mind the user. It is a unique institution that brings together members active in road infrastructure from both the private and public sectors.
  • Promoting advances in sustainable roads worldwide
    April 12, 2012
    Professor Martin Snaith, O.B.E., introduces an annual gathering that has grown over the years to become perhaps the world's foremost professional development forum promoting advances in sustainable roads worldwide. Over more than 15 years the Senior Road Executives Programme (SRE), organised by the internationally renowned Highways Group of the University of Birmingham, UK, in association with IRF, has established a worldwide reputation for providing top-quality professional development for executives worki
  • Leading private sector companies partner to improve road safety in Morocco
    March 7, 2022
    Coordinated by the International Road Federation (IRF), a group of leading private sector companies active in Morocco entered on 20 December 2021 into a partnership to use their combined knowledge and expertise to reduce road deaths and injuries in the country. This initiative is rooted in the belief that road crashes are largely preventable and road safety is a shared responsibility.