By Philip Stoten
At APEX 2025, I had the privilege of sitting down with three key architects of IPC’s government relations strategy: Chris Mitchell (VP, Global Government Relations), Richard Cappetto (Senior Director North American Government Relations), and Alison James (Senior Director Europe Government Relations). Their insights revealed how IPC works behind the scenes to create a more stable environment for electronics manufacturing globally.
Data-Driven Advocacy
What struck me most in speaking with Chris Mitchell was IPC’s commitment to evidence-based advocacy. “We have an industry intelligence team that leverages insight across the organization,” Chris explained. This approach combines economic analysis with deep technical knowledge to give credibility when engaging policymakers.
Chris oversees both government relations and industry intelligence—a purposeful combination that ensures advocacy efforts are grounded in solid data. “We’re trying to make sure that we have really solid data that we’re working with, and then that we’re leveraging that data to offer real insight about what’s happening in the industry.”
Navigating Trade Turbulence in North America
Speaking with Richard Cappetto provided a window into the fast-paced world of North American trade policy. “It’s been a crazy couple of weeks since the beginning of the year,” Richard noted, referencing new tariff announcements affecting the electronics supply chain.
IPC’s work includes submitting formal comments to the administration and participating in working groups on critical issues like copper tariffs. “We want to make sure the administration knows just how important that is and if you start raising the price of the costs on a major input like that, how big of an impact that could have,” Richard emphasized.
Europe’s Strategic Shift
Alison James detailed how IPC is helping shape Europe’s new defense strategy. “We released a report this week on defense, knowing that the white paper was coming,” she explained. The timing couldn’t have been better, as the EU announced significant policy shifts allowing member states more fiscal flexibility for defense investments.
What’s particularly impressive is how IPC has built coalitions across Europe. “We’ve been working with a coalition of electronics associations and companies across the European Union because we all need to be speaking with one voice,” Alison noted.
Global Connectivity with Local Impact
What these conversations revealed is IPC’s unique position as a globally connected organization with deep local expertise. While electronics manufacturing is undeniably global, effective advocacy requires understanding the nuances of each region’s political landscape.
As businesses navigate an increasingly complex geopolitical environment, IPC’s government relations work provides a valuable service: translating industry needs into policy language while advocating for stability in uncertain times.
