New ECDC Management Board Chair and Deputy Chair Elected

Dr Gesa Lücking, Management Board Member, PhD, is Head of the Division for Health Security and National/European Crisis Management in the Federal Ministry of Health of Germany. She contributed to the drafting of the Founding Regulation of ECDC in 2003. Since 2012, she has been actively involved in the work of the Management Board, initially as an Alternate and, since 2024, as a Member.

’It is a great honour to be elected to lead ECDC’s Management Board and provide my full support in this new position. Recently, we faced the COVID-19 pandemic, and we can be certain that we will face other already known threats such as mpox and avian influenza, as well as unknown threats in the future. Despite all challenges, political struggles and financial constraints, we should stand together to strengthen the ECDC.’ said Dr Gesa Lücking.

Alongside Dr Lücking, Mr Lieven De Raedt, Management Board Member, was elected Deputy Chair of the ECDC Management Board. Mr De Raedt is the Head of the International Relations Service in the Federal Public Service Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment of Belgium. He has been a member of the Management Board since 2018.

’The Covid-19 crisis taught us that it is in the vital interest of the European Union to have an independent, well-resourced, and outspoken ECDC, and I am therefore most honoured to be able to contribute to ECDC in this position.’ said Mr De Raedt.

The ECDC extends its gratitude to the outgoing Chair, Dr Anni Virolainen-Julkunen, for her dedication and invaluable contributions throughout her time as Chair. The organisation welcomes Dr Lücking and Mr De Raedt as it advances its mission to safeguard and promote public health across Europe under its reinforced mandate adopted by the European Parliament and the Council in November 2022.