Professor Guido Rasi appointed Executive Director of the European Medicines Agency (EMA)

Executive Director appointed for five-year term

LONDON, 20-11-2015 — /EuropaWire/ — Professor Guido Rasi has taken office as Executive Director of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) today.

Professor Rasi was nominated as Executive Director for a five-year mandate by the Management Board of the Agency on 1 October 2015. He was appointed following his statement to the European Parliament’s Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) on 13 October 2015.

“I am very happy to be back at the helm of the Agency,” said Professor Rasi on his first day in office. “We are currently undergoing the most significant transformation of the system of medicine development and authorisation that I have seen during my 35-year career in public health, either as a doctor, a researcher or a regulator. It is exciting and challenging to be leading the Agency during this time.”

Press briefing with Guido Rasi: Wednesday, 9 December

Professor Rasi will outline his priorities for the next five years to representatives of the media at a virtual press briefing to be held on Wednesday, 9 December at 14:00 GMT. Please reply to press@ema.europa.eu before close of business on Monday, 7 December to register for this briefing. We will then send you log-in details prior to the briefing.

An information sheet explaining the process for the appointment of the EMA Executive Director is available. A photo and biography of Professor Rasi are also available.

Notes

• Professor Rasi is the third Executive Director of EMA. His predecessors were Fernand Sauer (1994-2000) and Thomas Lönngren (2001-2010); Professor Rasi was previously Executive Director of EMA from November 2011 to November 2014;
• As result of a judgment issued by the EU Civil Service Tribunal that annulled for procedural reasons the 2011 selection and appointment process for the position of Executive Director of the Agency, Deputy Executive Director Andreas Pott has led the Agency between November 2014 and mid-November 2015. During this period, Professor Rasi continued to work for the Agency as Principal Adviser in Charge of Strategy.

Contact point:

Monika Benstetter
Tel. +44 (0)20 3660 8427
E-mail: press@ema.europa.eu
Follow us on Twitter @EMA_News

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Professor Guido Rasi appointed Executive Director of the European Medicines Agency (EMA)