//CORESTA APPOINTMENTS FOR IMPERIAL BRANDS

Founded more than a half century ago in 1956, CORESTA (the Cooperation Centre for Scientific Research Relative to Tobacco) is an association promoting the vital importance of international collaboration focusing on scientific research around combustible tobacco and Next Generation Products (NGP).

Aligned with their strategic mission and ideals, Imperial Brands has a longstanding association with CORESTA.  Our scientists work with the association’s various sub-groups and task forces to develop specific chemical, toxicological and biological testing methods and standards for both combustible tobacco and NGP.

They also collaborate to investigate means for assessing exposure, product usage and consumer behaviours. Finally, our scientists participate in the annual CORESTA conference, presenting our latest data and inviting peer feedback to continue to enhance the scientific understanding of our combustible and NGP portfolio.

Imperial Brands is also proud to play key roles in the association’s leadership, and for 2023, we’re delighted to announce the following: 

• Imperial Brands has been re-elected to the CORESTA board. This represents a continuing opportunity to collaborate with fellow organisations to lead CORESTA, and help shape future testing methods and product standards relating to combustible tobacco and NGP.

• Joe Thompson, our Group Science and Regulatory Affairs Director, has been re-elected as President of the Board. Joe’s role involves working with fellow board members to continue to define the association’s strategic vision, provide relevant policy guidance, coordinate the direction of CORESTA’s Scientific Commission while reviewing all progress and output. 

• Dr. Xavier Cahours, our Head of Computational Science, has been elected as Vice-President of the Scientific Commission. This technical post sees Xavier helping to lead and shape the scientific activities of CORESTA, while also acting as scientific counsel to the board.
   
• Jutta Pani, our Lab Network Operations Manager, has been elected as President of the Product Technology Study Group. This group investigates the physical and chemical characterisation of tobacco and tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars, oral tobacco, vapes and heated tobacco.

Reflecting on his reappointment, Joe commented: “I’m absolutely delighted to have been re-elected for my second term as President of CORESTA’s board. I believe rigorous science and high product standards remain key to creating effective, potentially harm reduced alternatives to combustibles that are trusted and used by adult smokers.

“CORESTA’s emphasis on continuing to develop a strong scientific evidence base, in conjunction with its diverse membership – which includes leaf suppliers, flavour houses, combustible and NGP manufacturers and regulators – provides a strong platform to help realise global tobacco harm reduction ambitions.”

Xavier adds: “The quality data generated by the member organisations within CORESTA, including many scientists from Imperial Brands, has a key role to play in helping to facilitate tobacco harm reduction. Having worked closely with the association for over two decades now, I’m excited to continue my involvement in this new leading role.”

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