ECHA’s Management Board elects Chair and Deputy Chair

Sharon McGuinness has been elected as the new Chair of ECHA’s Management Board. Karel Blaha will continue as the Deputy Chair of the Board.

Ms Sharon McGuinness, has been the Irish representative to the Management Board since July 2014. She works as an Assistant Chief Executive in the Health and Safety Authority in Ireland where she is the head of the Chemicals and Prevention Division.

“The Management Board will work closely with the secretariat to shape ECHA’s future strategy, dealing at the same time with some key events, such as the final registration deadline in 2018 and the appointment of the new Executive Director for the Agency,” says Sharon McGuinness.

Mr Karel Blaha, the Czech representative to the Management Board, was elected for a second term as the Deputy Chair of the Board.

The term of office of the Chair and the Deputy Chair is two years and may be renewed once. Sharon McGuinness succeeds Nina Cromnier, Director General of the Swedish Chemicals Agency, who chaired the Board for two consecutive terms.