HELSINKI, Finland, 8 May 2026 — The Board of Trustees of the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) convened in Helsinki this week, advancing key priorities for the international organization’s next phase of growth and global health impact.

The Board met on 6–7 May 2026, reviewing IVI’s progress across its programs and partnerships and discussing priorities for the organization in the context of an evolving global health landscape, including the need to strengthen vaccine innovation, expand equitable access, and enhance preparedness for future health threats.

During the meeting, the Board endorsed a strategic direction for IVI’s next five-year phase, providing guidance for the development of a detailed strategy and implementation plan to be finalized and approved later in the year.

The Board also elected a new Chairperson, Prof. Helen Rees, founder and Executive Director of the Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute (Wits RHI), South Africa. She will guide IVI’s governance through the next phase of institutional growth over an initial three-year term.

Prof. Helen Rees, incoming Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, said: “It is an honor to serve as Chair of IVI’s Board of Trustees at such an important moment for the organization. IVI plays a critical role in advancing vaccine innovation and access globally, and I look forward to working with the Board, member states, leadership, and partners to further strengthen its impact.”

The Helsinki meeting marked the final Board meeting chaired by George Bickerstaff, concluding a distinguished tenure that began in 2009. Over his years of service—as Board Member, Treasurer, Vice Chair, and Chair—IVI has grown into a globally recognized leader in vaccine research, development, and delivery, advancing vaccines that have achieved World Health Organization prequalification and been deployed worldwide. His leadership has been instrumental in shaping IVI’s evolution and global impact.

George Bickerstaff, outgoing Chairperson of the IVI Board of Trustees, said: “It has been a profound honor to serve alongside the extraordinary people and partners who have driven IVI’s mission forward. I leave with deep confidence in IVI’s future and in its continued ability to protect and improve lives around the world.”

Dr. Jerome H. Kim, Director General of IVI, said: “The Board’s guidance on IVI’s strategic direction reflects both the urgency of today’s global health challenges and the opportunity to deliver even greater impact. Building on IVI’s strong, end-to-end product development core, our strategic priorities will include innovation, biopreparedness, and regional empowerment. We look forward to working closely with our stakeholders to translate this strategy into an implementation plan that will strengthen and evolve IVI’s contribution to global health.”

As part of their time in Finland, Board members participated in a workshop hosted by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, a research and development institute under the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, and visited Finnish Vaccine Research, a leading clinical research organization specializing in vaccine trials. The engagements highlighted Finland’s role in advancing vaccine development and clinical research, as well as the value of international collaboration in accelerating vaccine innovation and preparedness.

The meeting in Helsinki underscores IVI’s continued role as a global convening platform—bringing together governments, researchers, industry, and development partners to advance its vision of a healthier world made possible by vaccination, available to everyone, everywhere.

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The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) is an independent international organization originally established at the initiative of the United Nations Development Programme in 1997. Its mission is to discover, develop, and deliver safe, effective, and affordable vaccines—empowering vaccine equity, impact, and sustainability globally.​

IVI’s current portfolio includes vaccines in multiple stages of pre-clinical and clinical development targeting infectious diseases that significantly impact low- and middle-income countries, including cholera, typhoid fever, chikungunya, shigellosis, salmonellosis, schistosomiasis, hepatitis E, HPV- and group A strep-related diseases, and COVID-19. IVI developed the world’s first low-cost oral cholera vaccine and a new-generation typhoid conjugate vaccine, both pre-qualified by the World Health Organization (WHO).​ 

IVI is headquartered in Seoul, Republic of Korea with a Europe Regional Office in Sweden, an Africa Regional Office in Rwanda, a Country Office in Austria, and a Country and Project Office in Kenya. IVI additionally co-founded the Hong Kong Jockey Club Global Health Institute in Hong Kong and hosts Collaborating Centers in Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Ethiopia, Nepal, and Madagascar. 43 countries and the WHO are members of IVI, and the governments of the Republic of Korea, Sweden, India, Finland, Austria, and Thailand provide state funding. For more information, please visit https://www.ivi.int. 

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Contact 

Kevin Keen, Head of Communications 

kevin.keen@www.ivi.int