New ELI President and Vices Take Office

08.09.2021

Pascal Pichonnaz, Lord John Thomas, Anne Birgitte Gammeljord and Pietro Sirena, the four nominate Members of the Executive Committee that were elected by an overwhelming majority by the ELI Council in February 2021 as ELI President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President and Treasurer, respectively, took office from 8 September 2021.

All the above elected officers already served on the ELI Executive Committee and have vast experience in managing the Institute. They will serve for a term of two years.

Further information about the ELI President and Vices is available here.

Previous ELI President, Christiane Wendehorst, and previous ELI Treasurer, Denis Philippe, completed their second consecutive terms in September 2021 and were prevented from standing again under the ELI Statute.

In her speech as outgoing President on 8 September 2021 Christiane Wendehorst described the various initiatives as well as her own efforts leading to the establishment of ELI, her active involvement in ELI, taking various roles as the first ELI Treasurer (2011 to September 2013), Vice-President (September 2013 to September 2017), President (September 2019 to September 2021) as well as Reporter of various ELI projects. She also highlighted ELI's achievements over the past decade. Wendehorst wholeheartedly thanked all ELI Members and, in particular, colleagues on the ELI Council, ELI Senate and Executive Committee for their support and for shaping the direction of ELI’s work over the years.

She was particularly greteful to the role played by ELI's former Treasurer Denis Philippe, for the stability he brought to ELI's finances and made mention of the motion that was named after him in the ELI Council, in recognition of this fact: the Philippe Motin. The latter is inspired by the American Law Institute's 'Boskey Motion'.

In his speech as incoming President on 8 September 2021, Pichonnaz expressed his strong commitment to building on the achievements of the past decade and his devotion to ELI’s mission. He said he was grateful to Wendehorst, as well as his colleagues on the Executive Committee, the ELI Council, the Search Committee, and everyone that stood in ELI's Council elections. He also encouraged ELI Members to become active in the Institute through the different channels available to them.

On 15 September 2021, the ELI Council will convene to complete the newly composed Executive Committee by electing three further members.