Welcoming the new Co-Presidents of IIRSM

Current IIRSM President Rosie Russell and Council member John Pares have been confirmed as Co-Presidents of the Institute for 2026, marking the next stage in IIRSM’s drive towards achieving its strategic vision and mission.

Confirmed at the IIRSM Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 9 December, John said he was “very happy” to take on the new role after a year on Council. “I’m delighted to be stepping into the role. It’s a great opportunity to build on the strong platform IIRSM already has and think about what I can do to contribute.”

John, who will serve alongside Rosie in the Co-President phase of IIRSM’s presidential cycle, is a familiar figure within the organisation. As Chair of the Europe Branch and of the Branches and Membership Committee, he has been instrumental in strengthening connections between members and local networks.

“The team has done a great job making sure we’re profitable, stable and have the right systems in place. Now is the time to progress from that. My primary focus will be on the branches – aiming to create a virtuous circle where more activity in branches drives membership, which in turn drives more activity,” he said.

A key element of his vision is to expand engagement with younger professionals. “Younger members are the future of the profession. As older members retire, we need to attract and retain the next generation. I’d like to explore what more we can do to make IIRSM a lifelong professional home for them. I think we can also make more of the high-quality mentoring programme that we already have.”

John brings a wealth of cross-sector experience to the role. He began his career as a chemical engineer, later moving into human resources with Unilever, before progressing into operations management and ultimately leading a global health and safety function for Swiss manufacturing group Givaudan. Based in Switzerland, John has worked in Hungary and has current clients in Austria, Germany and the USA through his part-time work as a consultant, specialising in culture, strategy and people-focused approaches to health, safety and risk.

He says his partnership with Rosie will be grounded in mutual respect and complementary focus areas. “I first met Rosie in person at a Europe Branch event in Geneva and there was a good connection straight away. It’s a privilege to share this next chapter of IIRSM’s leadership with her.”

Rosie is Director of Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability at MeiraGTx and was Co-President with Ruth Denyer before becoming President in 2025.

Rosie said: “I am as committed as ever – as I am sure we all are – to reducing harm worldwide through better risk management. So, while I am signing off as President, I am looking forward to continuing into 2026 as Co-President and Trustee. There is much more to be done, not just within our Institute but to serve our organisations and communities.”

John and Rosie will share chairing duties for IIRSM’s Council, which is responsible for the management and overall strategic direction of the organisation in conjunction with CEO Phillip Pearson.

Phillip said: “I’m delighted and consider myself very fortunate in having two excellent Co-Presidents to work with to further the growth of IIRSM."