The results of the latest round of ERS Leadership Elections were announced during the 2020 ERS General Assembly meeting, which was held virtually on 10 September, 2020 and attended by ERS members and senior leaders.
The General Assembly is the body responsible for adapting the statutes of the society, deciding the annual membership fees, reviewing proposed amendments to the ERS Constitution and By-Laws and checking and approving the accounts.
Following the meeting, it is with great pleasure that we announce the incoming ERS Vice President for 2020–2021 is Prof. Carlos Robalo Cordeiro (Portugal). Prof. Robalo Cordeiro will successively become ERS President Elect and then ERS President, making him a key and influential figure within our society.
Following the meeting, a number of ERS officers also officially begin their mandates as ERS Assembly Heads and Secretaries and Group Chairs and Secretaries. View the full list of incoming ERS officers.
We thank all ERS members who voted in elections this year, as well as all competing candidates for your participation in the elections. ERS congratulates the successful candidates and wishes you well in your new roles.
Prof. Anita Simonds, the incoming ERS President for 2020–2021, was also formally appointed in the meeting. During the hand-over speech, Prof. Simonds extended her thanks to Prof. Thierry Troosters, now Past President, for his work in leading the society over the last 12 months. Prof. Simonds noted that 2020 has been a challenging year and commended Prof. Troosters for facing these challenges as an adaptable, considerate, skilled and strategic president of our society.
In looking towards the year ahead, Prof. Simonds highlighted that the presidential themes for the year will focus on:
- Digital respiratory health
- The multidisciplinary team, including patients, carers and advocates all working together
- Spreading the word through partnerships with the World Health Organization, European Medicines Agency and the Forum of International Respiratory Societies
- Continuity of the ERS green and sustainable agenda, as well as 20-point action plan to improve equality and representation across the society
ERS members also voted on amendments to the ERS Constitution and By-Laws presented by the Secretary General, Prof. Joanna Chorostowska-Wynimko. Notable amendments, which are now ratified in the constitution following approval by the ERS membership, include:
- ERS’s commitment to gender equality and diversity has been formally added to the constitution.
- Details regarding the processes for entering or leaving the ERS membership are to be simplified.
- The ERS Ethics and Integrity Committee must also include a patient representative and the ERS staff representative is not permitted to be a head of department or member of the executive staff.
- The declaration of interests statement has been farther specified to prohibit the publication of work/papers that is associated with funding from the tobacco industry as well as the industries behind alternative nicotine delivery products such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products.
The updated ERS Constitution and By-Laws will be published in due course.
Catch up on the meeting:
- Vote of thanks – presented by Prof. Joanna Chorostowska-Wynimko
- Science Council activities report – presented by Prof. Chris Brightling
- Education Council activities report – presented by Prof. Daiana Stolz
- Advocacy Council activities report – presented by Prof. Jørgen Vestbo