PRESS RELEASE - Growing Media Europe welcomes Rafael Bolinches as new board President and thanks outgoing President after nine years of leadership
- Jul 1
- 2 min read
PRESS RELEASE |
Brussels, 1 July 2026 |
BRUSSELS – At its General Assembly held on 18 June 2026, Growing Media Europe (GME), the Brussels-based association represen.ting European producers of growing media and soil improvers, elected their new board President and concluded a nine-year term of leadership that shaped the association into what it is today.
Thanja van Dongen, CEO of Zelta Zeme, has stepped down as GME President after nine years on GME's Board, the longest term in the association's history and the maximum permitted under GME's Articles of Association. Under her leadership, GME grew in membership, policy influence and scientific progress, establishing itself as the voice for the growing media sector in Brussels.
Beyond her formal role, Thanja has been a tireless advocate for the sector, engaging regulators, scientists and fellow producers alike to ensure that the realities of growing media production are properly understood at the EU level. GME is pleased to confirm that she will remain one of its most active and engaged members in the years ahead.
GME is delighted to welcome Rafael Bolinches, CEO of Projar, as its incoming President. Projar is a Spanish manufacturer of substrates and growing media with over 40 years of experience and production facilities in Spain and Sri Lanka, serving growers of berries, vegetables and ornamental plants across the globe. Rafael has represented Projar within GME since 2020 and brings with him deep industry knowledge and a clear vision for the sector's future.
About Rafael Bolinches
Rafael Bolinches is CEO of Projar, a Spanish company recognised internationally for its technological solutions for agriculture. He holds a degree in Agricultural Engineering from the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia and an MBA. His first exposure to the agricultural sector came through his family's ornamental plant business, an experience that sparked his interest in innovation and sector development. Rafael began his professional career in 2003 in the substrates sector. In 2009, he joined Projar as Commercial Director, driving the company's growth across Iberia (Spain and Portugal) and leading its international expansion. In 2016, he was appointed CEO, a role from which he has steered the company's evolution towards a model based on sustainability, production efficiency and international growth.
Under his leadership, Projar has established itself as a strategic partner for producers in international markets, particularly in high-value crops such as blueberries and tomatoes. His deep technical knowledge of the sector, combined with a long-term strategic vision, has driven the development of innovative solutions in substrates, hydroponic systems and technologies aimed at optimising resource use and improving agricultural productivity.
About Growing Media Europe
Growing Media Europe (GME) is the Brussels-based association representing European producers of growing media and soil improvers. GME engages with EU policymakers, regulators and stakeholders to promote a regulatory environment that supports sustainable, science-based growing media production, and to ensure that the sector's contribution to European horticulture and food security is properly recognised.
Contact
Cecilia Luetgebrune – Director General
Growing Media Europe AISBL, Rue Belliard 40, 1040 Brussels
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