Geneva — Former French Minister of Social Affairs, Health and Women’s Rights Marisol Touraine has been elected chair of the Unitaid Executive Board and will take up her new functions at the end of the Board’s next meeting in Seoul on 20 June 2019.

She succeeds Marta Maurás Perez, Chile’s former ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, who has served as chair since last June.

Ms. Touraine will lead Unitaid’s 12-member decision-making body, which sets the organization’s objectives, monitors its performance and approves budgets and grants.

“The key to Unitaid’s future lies in facing up to new challenges in global health with confidence in our capacity to rally partners around shared goals,” said Ms. Touraine.

Ms. Touraine is a senior member of the Conseil d’État, France’s highest administrative court, and an international health and social welfare consultant.

“Marisol Touraine brings a wealth of experience and high distinction in public service to the Executive Board,” said Unitaid Executive Director Lelio Marmora . “We greatly look forward to working with her and giving added impetus to Unitaid’s mission.”

In her ministerial post, (2012-2017), she worked to improve HIV/AIDS prevention and early diagnosis, promoted universal hepatitis C treatment with innovative drugs, implemented plain tobacco packaging and launched a nutrition labelling system.