Fishing world mourns death of former EFTTA President Pierangelo Zanetta

The world of fishing is mourning the death of Pierangelo Zanetta, former Managing Director of Shimano Europe and President of the European Fishing Tackle Trade Association (EFTTA).

Zanetta began his career with Shimano Italy in May 1994 as a Product Developer. His passion and engineering skills quickly made an impression and within three years he became Managing Director of the company. His rapid rise within the organisation continued and after being chosen as Managing Director of Shimano Europe Fishing Holdings in 1999 he went on to lead the company in Europe for more than a decade.

“Within Shimano Pier was highly regarded for his enormous passion for angling as an activity, but moreover his enormous drive to bring innovative new fishing tackle to the market,” said Shimano Europe’s President Marc van Rooij. “Next to that his motivational and fatherly approach towards his team was unparalleled. Pier has been incremental in driving Shimano Europe Fishing towards the position it currently has in the market. Within Shimano he will never be forgotten and our thoughts are currently with his wife, Carla, and their daughter, Francesca.“

Zanetta’s knowledge and diplomacy did not go unnoticed by EFTTA and in 2008 he was elected President of Europe’s leading trade body.

Speaking on behalf of the Association’s board, General Manage, Janet Doyle, said in a message to Shimano’s head office in Eindhoven earlier today: “We’d liked to express our sincere condolences on the passing of Pierangelo (Pier) Zanetta.  We are deeply saddened to hear the news and would like to take the opportunity to let you know we are thinking of all of you who worked with him and, of course, his family.

“Pier served as President during a challenging time for EFTTA, with the competitive Tackle Trade World Show, and brought to life many initiatives such as the Line Charter.  He was highly regarded by the board and members of EFTTA.  He will be missed by his colleagues and friends in the global fishing tackle industry as well as his former Shimano and EFTTA friends and colleagues.”

In a frank interview with Angling International in February 2010, Zanetta spoke of “turbulent times” for the tackle industry and his plans for EFTTA, outlining a vision for a stronger more representative organisation with a powerful political voice – a strategy still being pursued today.

Talking of EFTTA’s achievements in his first 18 months as President, he said: “The most important achievement was to push the Association back towards breaking even. Secondly, against the backdrop of a weakening European economy, and with a new competitor show, we have maintained the success of EFTTEX.”

His four-point plan for EFTTA argued for more lobbying power, a federation of Europe’s national trade bodies, stronger global connections and enforceable standards for products.

Zanetta resigned from his position as Shimano Europe’s Managing Director in 2013 to become Director of Communications, retaining his position on several boards. He stepped down from EFFTA for reasons of ill-health in June 2016.