Barazza Named FEDESSA Interim CEO

The Federation of European Self Storage Associations (FEDESSA) has announced the appointment of Paola Barazza as its interim CEO. The update was shared in a July 24 email to members, which also highlighted the organization’s recent recognition for its 2024 annual conference and tradeshow.

Barazza, who has been with FEDESSA for nine years, will assume leadership following the departure of Rennie Schafer. Schafer is stepping down from both his role at FEDESSA and his position as CEO of the Self Storage Association of the United Kingdom (SSA-UK) at the end of the year. In her time with the federation since 2016, Barazza has taken on increasingly senior responsibilities, including coordinating its flagship conference and various member events. She will serve in the interim role for 12 months while the European Committee for Standardization works on updates to free-trade regulations and a new SSA-UK chief executive is appointed. According to the newsletter, the FEDESSA CEO role will be re-evaluated after that period.

Meanwhile, FEDESSA’s 2024 event — held October 8-10 in Stockholm — earned the title of “Best European Conference” at the International & European Association Success Awards. The accolade was announced during the Associations World Congress earlier this month in Hamburg, Germany.

“The judges recognized this as an exceptional event that combined high-quality content with creative branding and an innovative theme to ensure outstanding engagement and experience,” the newsletter reported. “They praised the comprehensive approach that covered every aspect of the event, successfully engaging delegates, speakers and suppliers from the very beginning through post-event follow-up. The judges highlighted the excellent results achieved and noted that this event has set a very high bar for future events.”

Founded in 2004, FEDESSA represents 12 national self-storage associations across Europe and serves approximately 2,000 facilities. Its annual conference rotates locations each fall, offering members a new host city each year.

The Associations World Congress, established in 2013, draws association leaders and professionals from across the globe. It is produced by the Association of Association Executives (AAE), a U.K.-based group managed by Professional Community Services Ltd. with staff in several countries, including Belgium, India, the Netherlands, and the U.K. AAE supports a global membership community of more than 20,000 individuals from federations, societies, associations, and similar organizations by providing events, training, education, and networking resources.