MRC Secretariat welcomes new leadership – Mekong River Commission

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MRC Secretariat welcomes new leadership

MRC Secretariat welcomes new leadership

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Vientiane, Lao PDR, 24 January 2025 — H.E. Ms. Busadee Santipitaks has stepped into her role as the first female and fourth riparian Chief Executive Officer to lead the Mekong River Commission (MRC) Secretariat. Starting her three-year term on 17 January 2025, she will oversee the organization’s operations from its headquarters in Vientiane and the Flood and Drought Management Centre in Phnom Penh from 2025-2027.

Under her leadership, a new strategic direction will focus on:

Intensified cooperation: Strengthening collaboration among the four MRC Member Countries (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Vietnam) and dialogue partners (China and Myanmar) as well as development partners on all aspects of water resources management.
Enhanced river monitoring: Improving the MRC’s data collection and analysis capabilities to better understand the Mekong River’s complex dynamics and predict future water-related events.
Joint project management: Identifying, prioritising, and implementing collaborative projects that address transboundary water management.
Flood and drought resilience: Enhancing the resilience of Mekong Basin communities to the impacts of floods and droughts through improved early warning systems.

During her term, H.E. Ms. Santipitaks will oversee the final implementation of the MRC Strategic Plan 2021-2025 within the Basin Development Strategy 2021-2030. She will also lead the development of the new Strategic Plan 2026-2030.

Her statement is available here: https://www.mrcmekong.org/news_and_events/statement-by-h-e-ms-busadee-santipitaks-chief-executive-officer-of-the-mekong-river-commission/

Read her bio: https://www.mrcmekong.org/chief-executive-officer/

Note to Editors:

The MRC is an intergovernmental organization established in 1995 to boost regional dialogue and cooperation in the Lower Mekong River Basin. Based on the Mekong Agreement among Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam, the MRC serves as both a regional platform for water diplomacy and a knowledge hub – to manage water resources and support sustainable development of the region.

-END-

For more information, please contact:

Ms Mao Chandaly

Communication Officer for Press
Mekong River Commission Secretariat
Email: chandaly@mrcmekong.org

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Mr. Jeremy Douglas BIRD

Former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Mekong River Commission (MRC) Secretariat 

“From 2008 to 2011, Mr. Jeremy, a British national, was appointed as the CEO of the MRC Secretariat.

Mr. Jeremy combines his experience at the strategy and policy level with a solid practical background across multiple facets of water resources, including regulatory processes, conceptual design of water resources infrastructure, river basin management, irrigation, disaster risk management, knowledge generation, development finance, and stakeholder engagement.”

Mr. Jeremy’s tenure as the CEO of the MRC Secretariat was marked by significant responsibilities and accomplishments, such as developing an Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) Strategy for the Basin and organizing the First MRC Summit of Prime Ministers in 2010, which raised the profile of the MRC and provided a high level of oversight for its activities. He also developed closer relations with China, formulated the MRC Climate Change and Adaptation Initiative, and represented the MRC at numerous international conferences and meetings. His successful negotiations among member countries resulted in a permanent location for the Secretariat and administrative arrangements for establishing a co-hosted headquarters. Mr. Jeremy’s tenure saw the implementation of institutional and administrative reforms and a new direction for the 5-year strategy for the MRC, focusing on the core functions of river basin management.

Before taking office as CEO, Mr. Jeremy worked as an Independent Water Resources Advisor from 2003 to 2008, providing consulting services on water resources management to various organizations, such as the Asian Development Bank, European Investment Bank, and the World Wide Fund for Nature.

Prior to that, he served as a Coordinator and Team Leader for the Dams and Development Project (DDP) at the United Nations Environment Programme, which aimed to promote dialogue for improved decision-making in water resources infrastructure. He coordinated national multi-stakeholder processes to identify priority issues for policy reform in South Africa, Nepal, Thailand, and Viet Nam, involving numerous stakeholders. Moreover, he expanded their stakeholder forum to include over 100 diverse organizations, initiated dialogue with Chinese agencies, and organized international meetings.

Mr. Hans Joakim GUTTMAN

Former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Mekong River Commission (MRC) Secretariat 

“From 2011 to 2015, Mr. Hans, a Swedish national, was appointed the CEO of the MRC Secretariat.  

With his expertise as coordinator/manager and rich experience with over 18 years in the field of water resources development and management for sustainable rural development. He is no stranger to the MRC or its vision, having served as the head of the Environment Programme for six years from 2001-2007. His extensive technical expertise and inside knowledge gained from living in the region for almost two decades enabled him to lead the MRC during a period of change and growth within the MRC.”

Before taking office as CEO, Mr. Hans held the position of Coordinator for the Wetlands Alliance (WA) Programme at the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok, Thailand, where he led the strategic development by securing funding for WA, and guided nearly 50 local government agencies and NGOs. He ensured these agencies received implementation support and contributed to the broader goals of the Alliance. Prior to that, he served as the Head of the Environmental Programme at the MRC Secretariat for six years, from 2001 to 2007. There, he oversaw a US$2 million annual budget for the programme, coordinated with National Mekong Committees (NMCs) and other relevant national agencies, and advised senior management on environmental matters while representing the MRC in these areas.

Prior to his tenure at the MRC, he served as a Programme Specialist at the Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand, where he managed rice field fisheries and other aquatic resource issues in Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. He raised awareness about the importance of these resources, built capacity to manage them, and developed strategies for sustainable use.

Before this, he was a Special Advisor at Tha-Ngone Aquaculture Development (TAD) in Vientiane, Laos. He assisted the manager in running a fish farm with over 30 employees, by planning, training, and managing fish and prawn production. He also helped improve the administrative section’s work.

Academically, Mr. Hans holds a Master of Science in Aquaculture from the Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand, where he was recognized for his thesis specialization in water quality, and a Bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology/Geography from James Cook University in North Queensland, Australia.

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