IAMCR newsletter January 2026
As IAMCR prepares to enter in 2027 its 70th year of activity, I am really honoured to have started as its new Executive Director on 1 January and will be looking forward to meeting you online over the next months and then in-person in Galway this summer.
Following up on the outstanding work of our outgoing Executive Director, Bruce Girard, who has brought the association to the solid ground on which it finds itself today, I will aim to continue keeping and improving on the operational excellence that has characterised his work, and build on his legacy. As soon as I was appointed, we have started our transition sessions, and we are working together to make sure that this handover is as smooth as possible during the month of January. I am extremely grateful to Bruce for all the support he has given to the association over the last 20 years and, personally, as I couldn’t have wished for a more caring, supportive and collaborative colleague to guide me in this process.
I would also like to note that the IAMCR Secretariat daily operations are a team effort and I am looking forward to working with our Deputy Director, Valeria Zamisch, who brings with her the wealth of information and knowledge gained in this key role over the years. We have also started our new daily routines to make sure that the association keeps running smoothly in this phase and support your activities and requests as best as we can.
Of course, I will be looking forward to working with the IAMCR governing bodies, namely the General Assembly, the International Council and the Executive Board, its 17 thematic sections and 20 working groups, as well as our standing committees, task forces and commissions, and all the organisational and individual members across the globe.
As we work towards our 2026 Galway conference, we are right now in the core of the submissions period, ending on 3 February. This is a key milestone in view of the event that will bring us together on 28 June-2 July 2026. I will be looking forward to meeting as many of you as possible in person there.
Back in 2006, as IAMCR was about to enter its 50th year and hold its conference in the city in which it was founded, Paris, former President Robin Mansell asked in this newsletter article “what next? what would you like to continue and what would like to change?”. I think this is still relevant today, as I start in this role, so if you would like to share your thoughts on this, feel free to drop a message at sscifo@iamcr.org or let’s meet in person in Galway this summer!
With my best wishes,
Salvatore Scifo
Executive Director, IAMCR