The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) recently appointed Dr. Emmanuelle Soubeyran’s as the new Director General. Dr. Soubeyran, who has a wealth of expertise in veterinary public health and animal health, is going to lead the organisation through a time of strategic transformation and greater worldwide impact. She will be in charge of driving the organisation forward.

Over the course of her illustrious career, Dr. Soubeyran has held a number of prestigious positions, including those of Dean of the National Veterinary School of Lyon (VetAgro Sup) from 2016 to 2021, Deputy Director General for Food within the French Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, and Head of French Veterinary Services. She is proficient in navigating both national and international veterinary settings, and she has over fifteen years of experience in leadership roles. Her skills in this area have garnered recognition.

In her new role, Dr. Soubeyran has outlined three strategic pillars that will underpin WOAH’s work over the next five years:

• First, enhancing the visibility of WOAH: Dr. Soubeyran’s objective is to elevate the voice of WOAH on the international stage, given that animal health plays a significant role in solving global concerns such as food security, economic stability, and public health. She plans to mobilize substantial resources to bolster the organization’s objective, highlighting the importance of proactive preventative actions.
• Considering that only seven percent of WOAH members now possess ideal veterinary capabilities, Dr. Soubeyran has made improving this workforce a top priority in order to strengthen veterinary services. She is of the opinion that strengthening veterinary services is necessary in order to guarantee the production of food that is both safe and sustainable on a global scale.
• Modernising WOAH: In response to the fast-changing world, Dr. Soubeyran is devoted to modernising WOAH by encouraging inclusion, digitalisation, and data-driven initiatives. Her plan calls for the use of new technology and the processing of large amounts of data.

Dr. Soubeyran is well positioned to steer the World of Allied Health (WOAH) into a new era as the organisation approaches its centenary. She stated her commitment to working closely with WOAH members, their delegates, the Council, regional commissions, and other international stakeholders as part of her commitment. Her goal is to establish WOAH as a leading organisation in solving the intricate problems associated with animal welfare and health, which are becoming more and more entangled with public health on a worldwide scale.

In her leadership, Dr. Soubeyran emphasized that “animal health is our health; it’s everyone’s health,” highlighting the interdependence of human and animal health as a fundamental tenet that guides her decisions. Global members and stakeholders of the Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) are eagerly anticipating Dr. Soubeyran’s new direction. They anticipate significant global breakthroughs in animal health and welfare in the coming years.