Neil Felton, CEO of Fespa, has been given the 2025 Girls Who Print (GWP) Ally Award for his leadership of the Fespa Foundation, an initiative launched last year to combine waste reduction efforts with meaningful impact for young people living in challenging circumstances.
The Fespa Foundation galvanises companies at its exhibitions to produce printed educational resources for schools across South Africa and other underserved communities.
The GWP Ally Award recognises Felton for leveraging the power of print to create a positive impact and safer learning environments in underserved communities – all while inspiring the global print community.
Led by Deborah Corn, GWP is a non-profit organisation that supports the advancement of female careers in the print and graphic communications industries.
Through educational initiatives, mentorship and networking, GWP promotes a more equitable and forward-thinking print community, and continues to serve as a respected voice for progress, inclusion and professional achievement across the sector.
Fespa partnered with Girls Who Print – to highlight its support of the organisation and diversity across print – at Fespa Global Print Expo 2025 in Germany.
During the event, GWP led a series of speaker sessions at the SmartHub conference, as well as a lunch, of which the organisation invited visitors from Fespa to hear from female leaders across the print industry, and share their knowledge and own experiences when kickstarting a career in a traditionally male-dominated field.
“I’m truly honoured to receive the 2025 Girls Who Print Ally Award. The Fespa team were delighted to initiate a partnership with Deborah Corn this year, and to us, this is just the beginning,” said Felton.
“Girls Who Print is a truly inspirational organisation, and we look forward to seeing what is in store for our relationship in the future.
“This is more than just an award, it’s global recognition for the Fespa Foundation and I am proud to be accepting this on behalf of everyone who has supported us on our journey.”
According to Corn, executive director of GWP, the organisation’s mission to support women in print throughout their careers will continue in 2026.
“The ARC and Print University strengthen this mission by expanding our access to experts, education, skill building, mentorship, and professional development,” she added.
“Membership and sponsorship contributions are essential to powering our mission, expanding our offerings, and strengthening our global community. We deeply appreciate the companies that support our work and look forward to welcoming many more in the coming year.”