The Federation of European Self Storage Associations (FEDESSA) has named its 2027 officers and council members, with Philippe Peyrot, cofounder and president of French self-storage operator Annexx, taking the helm as president for a two-year term.
The leadership appointments were announced during FEDESSA’s annual conference and tradeshow, held Sept. 22-24 in Wiesbaden-Frankfurt, Germany. The event drew more than 700 self-storage professionals from around the world.
Peyrot succeeds the federation’s previous leadership as FEDESSA continues to expand its role in representing a European self-storage industry that now encompasses more than 11,000 facilities.
“Self-storage is no longer just a temporary fix; it has become essential urban infrastructure,” Peyrot said. “Urban housing pressures and the high cost of city living make this service indispensable for residential households. For businesses, it offers on-demand storage flexibility without the burden of long-term, rigid commercial leases. At the same time, our sector is emerging as a critical link in urban last-mile logistics. Demonstrating this practical, tangible value to public policymakers is a continuous priority.”
Peyrot has identified three priorities for his two-year term: strengthening European market research, presenting a unified industry voice to regulatory bodies and directing more FEDESSA resources toward member associations.
The federation plans to enhance the precision and reach of its market research to provide operators, lenders and investors with stronger economic benchmarks. It also will work to coordinate advocacy efforts at the European level while supporting the work of national trade associations.
In addition, FEDESSA intends to facilitate greater cross-border sharing of operational best practices and provide resources to national associations to support their development.
“My goal is to build on the groundwork laid over the past year and deliver concrete, actionable results,” Peyrot said. “With over 11,000 facilities in Europe, our industry has reached institutional scale and maturity. Over the next two years, my focus is clear: Enhance the federation's agility, solidify our benchmark research and actively support the growth of every national association.”
Joining Peyrot on FEDESSA’s executive leadership team are Brian Hefferon, managing director of Nesta Dublin Self Storage in Ireland, as vice president; Christian Kulick, managing director of the Self Storage Verband in Germany, as treasurer; and executive council members Cesare Carcano, CEO of Casaforte Self-Storage Group in Italy; Ubbe Strihage, CEO and cofounder of Storeinn in Sweden; and Paul Whitakker, director of Flexiss Group in England.
The federation’s general council members are Glenn Bengtsson of the Danish Self Storage Association; Lennert De Bruyn of the Belgian Self Storage Association; Isak Larsson of the Norwegian Self Storage Association; Francisco Parreira do Amaral of Associação Portuguesa de Self Storage; Theo Sanders of the Dutch Self Storage Association; and Christian Schmutz of the Swiss Self Storage Association.
FEDESSA also presented its 2026 awards during the conference, recognizing companies and individuals across eight categories, including Independent Store of the Year, Manager of the Year and Sustainability Award.
Founded in 2004, FEDESSA represents 16 self-storage associations across Europe and serves an industry comprising approximately 11,000 facilities. The federation holds its annual conference and tradeshow in a different European city each year, bringing together operators, suppliers, investors and other industry professionals.
The new leadership team takes over as European self-storage continues to mature from a fragmented collection of national markets into an increasingly institutionalized real estate sector, creating a larger role for FEDESSA in market research, advocacy and the exchange of operating practices across borders.