Jose Roberto Scarabel, 49, ex-President of CICB - Centre of the Brazilian Tanning Industry died of cancer in Leme, Sao Paulo, on April 23, 2002.

Mr Scarabel was a key player in the expansion of the Brazilian leather and shoe industry. He encouraged joint work by the sector's trade associations as the main weapon for the progress of the industry.

During his term in office (1999-2001) he founded the Institute of the Environment for the Leather Industry and launched the idea of holding a fair that would integrate the work of stylists, tanneries and shoe, leathergoods and garment manufacturers. This became Courovisao, a fashion-technical now a regular fixture on Brazil’s events calendar.

It was also Mr Scarabel's initiative to build the Leather Pavilion inside Fenac's exhibition grounds in Novo Hamburgo/RS. This pavilion was built with funds provided by leather industry companies in exchange for the free use of the space during fairs organised by Fenac for 10 years from the date of the inauguration of the pavilion in 2000.