Global vaccine institute names new director-general

SEOUL, Sept. 9 (Yonhap) -- The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) said Friday that its board of trustees has named French vaccine authority Christian Loucq as the new director-general of the Seoul-based organization.
"Christian Loucq is well-versed in the management and leadership of private and public-sector organizations in the vaccine arena, and he has extensive experience in working with public-private partnerships and private collaborations," Ragnar Norrby, chairman of the IVI's board of trustees, said in a news release.
Loucq will replace outgoing head John D. Clemens. His four-year term begins in November.
"I am honored and very enthusiastic to be joining the IVI team as director-general. From research and development to epidemiology, from local manufacturing to access, the IVI has been a pioneering organization in many aspects of vaccinology when applied to preventing infectious diseases among the world's poorest children," Loucq was quoted as saying.
Originally from France, Loucq earned his diploma of public health and tropical medicine from the University of Aix-Marseilles and his doctorate of human medicine from the University of Paris X.
Established in 1997 under an initiative of the United Nations Development Program, the IVI now operates as an independent organization under a treaty signed by 40 countries and the World Health Organization.
The IVI was the first international organization to be headquartered in Seoul.
bdk@yna.co.kr