Our mission is to facilitate the development of optometry around the world and support optometrists in promoting eye health and vision care as a human right through advocacy, education, policy development and humanitarian outreach.

Learn More 》

Mr. Peter Gumpelmayer, Geographic Representative for Europe

Mr. Peter Theo Alfred Gumpelmayer was the President of the Federal and Upper Austrian Council of Allied Health Science Practitioners, having held this position since 2010 – 2015. Previously, he acted as President of the Upper Austrian Council of Opticians, Hearing Aid Specialists and Orthopaedic Technicians, from 2004 till 2020, and as Chairman of the Scientific Association of Optometrists and Opticians in Austria, from 2002 onwards. He is elected as ECOO Treasurer since 2020. He is currently serving as President of the Austrian Optometric Association.

Mr. Gumpelmayer earned his Bachelor of Optometry from the University of Durban-Westville (South Africa), and has been practicing as an optometrist and hearing aid practitioner for over 22 years, with professional stints in his native Austria, but also the UK, New Zealand, and Africa. He has also been involved in academia, teaching at the WVAO Easterakademie in Hall in Tirol (Austria), as well as writing, compiling and translating examination items of the ECOO European Diploma (German/English).  Mr. Gumpelmayer was the Chairman of the ECOO Professional Services Committee until October 2014, after having previously been a member of the ECOO Education Committee between 2006-2010. He was the ECOO President from 2016 until 2018. He speaks German, English, French and has an understanding of Afrikaans.

Mr. Gumpelmayer currently serves on the WCO Board of Directors as the Geographic Representative for Europe.