Gennaro Sicolo confirmed as COI leader
Dec. 17, 2025
Gennaro Sicolo
Gennaro Sicolo has been reappointed as vice president of the IOC (International Olive Council) Advisory Committee, responsible for promoting and protecting olive oil worldwide. The appointment was confirmed during the important international organization's meeting held yesterday in Madrid. For the national president of Italia Olivicola, as well as national vice president of CIA Agricoltori Italiani and president of CIA Puglia , this is a confirmation following his first election exactly two years ago.
"I thank all the members of the IOC for their renewed trust," Sicolo declared , "which comes at an extremely important time for the olive oil and olive growing sectors, which must be supported, innovated, and protected as one of the most important sectors not only economically but also for the absolute value it represents in human nutrition worldwide."
In accepting the role, Sicolo once again highlighted the three different dynamics that are characterizing global olive growing: the difficulty in increasing olive oil consumption in the European Union market , which is the world's leading producer and consumer; the need to implement all possible actions to consolidate the phenomenon that has been underway for several years of increasing olive oil consumption in non-producing countries ; the challenge of intensifying collaboration between olive oil-producing countries to define rules of conduct and responsible commercial and marketing practices that meet the needs of consumers and civil society, while increasingly combating counterfeiting, unfair competition, and product devaluation .
