Page 7 - WBG Dec 2025

PRESIDENT’S

DESK

Dear members, colleagues and friends,

As this remarkable year comes to an end, I would like to look back on a very
special conference. Our celebration of 100 years of WAD in Chicago was an
unforgettable experience for me. In the city where WAD was founded, we came
together to celebrate the next 100 years. We honoured the past and welcomed
the future. On this occasion, I would like to thank our past presidents, Wes
Bearden, Mike LaCorte and Alan Cardoza, as well as our Executive Director,
President Emeritus, Bob Heales, for their hundreds of hours of voluntary work
for our profession and association. They were always supported by our strong
media team, led by Thomas Mathiesen and Svenja Meismann. All of your efforts
were more than remarkable.

I am generally very proud of the WAD board of directors. I always receive
the support I need immediately, and the response time is always very short.
Everyone on the board is ready to help. Building new committees and making
things happen are great experiences in WAD.

We are now looking ahead to the next chapter of our association. Our media
team continues to produce excellent work, and WAD’s visibility has grown
significantly across all channels. This increased presence has also led to a
growing number of promising new members getting in touch with us. I see that
WAD will continue to grow healthily and attract high-quality members.

Furthermore, several interesting projects are in progress, including updating
our image video and digital membership guide. These will both serve to further
strengthen our international identity.

I look forward to seeing many of you at our upcoming midterm meeting in
Casablanca, Morocco, April 22-26th, 2026 and at the AGM in Cannes. Thank
you for your commitment and support throughout this special anniversary year.
I am excited to continue our journey together as we shape the future of WAD
and our profession.

Warm regards,

Philip Ryffel

President
World Association of Detectives.

“A Global Alliance of Investigators and Security Professionals”
www.wad.net | June 2025 5