The Council is composed of 15-18 members, including the representative to UNESCO, and the non-voting honorary and administrative positions. Members of the Council must be individual members. They are elected for a six-year term by the individual members of the Academy. The Council decides the functions of its members according to its needs. Membership of Council, as far as possible, corresponds to the various geographical regions represented in the Academy.

The newest members of the Council were officially announced via Bulletin 138 in June 2022 – specifically new representatives for North America, Eastern Europe and the Middle East – and took their seats following the General Assembly in September 2022.

IAC COUNCIL

President 2018 -2024
Torbjørn Kvasbø, Norway
Representative for Scandinavia

Vice President 2018 – 2024
Stéphanie Le Follic-Hadida, France
Representative for UNESCO
Temporary representative for France (election TBA)

Vice President 2023 – 2029
Monika Gass, Germany
Representative for Germany and Austria, 2016 – 2024

Vice President 2023 – 2029
Pim Sudhikam, Thailand
Representative for Southeast Asia and India, 2018 – 2024

Treasurer
Oriol Calvo Vergés, Spain
Representative for Southern Europe, 2016 – 2024

Council Members

Hyeyoung CHO, South Korea
Representative for South Korea, 2020-2026
* Resignation tendered, seat election TBA

Wendy Gers, South Africa
Representative for Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, 2020 – 2026
* Resignation tendered, seat election TBA
Janet De Boos is holding this seat temporarily

Shamai Gibsh, Israel
Representative for the Middle East, 2022-2028

Elaine Henry, USA
Representative for North America, 2022-2028

David Jones, UK
Representative for UK, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, 2016 – 2024

Toshio Matsui, Japan
Representative for Japan, 2017 -2023

Hana Novotná, Czech Republic
Representative for Eastern Europe, 2022-2028

Anja Seiler, Switzerland
Representative for Switzerland, 2020 – 2026

Vilma Villaverde, Argentina
Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean, 2016 – 2024

Liya Wan, China
Representative for China, 2020 – 2026

Coordination, Secretariat
Karolina Johansson, Switzerland

September 2022, Composition of the Council:

New Members:

• Shamai Gibsh, representative for the Middle East, 2022-2028
• Elaine Henry, representative for North America, 2022-2028
• Hana Novotná, representative for Eastern Europe, 2022-2028

2-year extension of the mandate:

• Oriol Calvo Vergés, representative for Southern Europe, 2022-2024
• David Jones, representative for the UK, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, 2022-2024
• Monika Gass, representative for Germany and Austria, 2022-2024
• Vilma Villaverde, representative for Latin America and the Caribbean, 2022-2024

End of mandate:

• Jacques Kaufmann, President Emeritus and representative for France, 2018-2022
• Ilona Romule, Representative for Eastern Europe, 2016-2022
• Judith Schwartz, Vice President and representative for North America, 2014-2022

July/Novermber* 2020, Composition of the Council:

New member:

• Wendy Gers, South Africa, 2020 – 2026
  Representative for Australia, New Zealand and South Africa
• Liya Wan, China,  2020 – 2026
  Representative for China
• Anja Seiler, Switzerland, 2020 – 2026
  Representative for Switzerland
• Hyeyoung CHO, South Korea, 2020-2026
  Representative for South Korea*

End of mandate:

• Janet DeBoos, Representative for Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, 2012 – 2018 – 2020
• Suku Park, Representative for South Korea, 2012 – 2018 – 2020
• Guangzhen Zhou, Representative for China, 2014 – 2020 

General Assembly 2018, Composition of the Council:

New member:

• Pim Sudhikam, Thailand, 2018 – 2024
  Representative for Southeast Asia and India

Change of  position:

• Torbjørn Kvasbø becomes President
• Stéphanie Le Follic-Hadida becomes Vice President and maintains her position as UNESCO representative
• Jacques Kaufmann becomes President Emeritus

End of mandate:

• Wayne Higby, USA, Vice President Emeritus
  Vice President Emeritus 2012 – 2018
  Vice President 2002 – 2012
  Council Member 1998 –  2002
• Isabelle Naef Galuba, Switzerland, Representative for Switzerland 2012 – 2018

General Assembly 2016, Composition of the Council:

New member:

• Oriol Calvo Vergès, Spain, Treasure, Representative for Mediterranean countries 2016-2022
• Monika Gass, Germany, Representative for Germany, 2016 – 2022
• David Jones, UK, Representative for UK, Ireland and the Benelux 2016 – 2022
• Vilma Villaverde, Argentine, Representative for South America 2016 – 2022
• Ilona Romule, Latvia, 2016 – 2022
  Representative for Eastern Europe

End of mandate:

• Gustavo PÉREZ Vice-President  2014-2016
• Michael MOORE Treasurer,  2010-2016
• Tomoko Tanioka, Japan
• Janos PROBSTNER, Hungary  2010-2016
• Emili SEMPERE, Spain 2010-2016
• Marianne HELLER, Germany  2010-2016

Congress Barcelona 2016, Spain. from l. to r. Emili Sempere, Jacques Kaufmann, Wayne Higby, Judith Schwartz, Isabelle Naef Galuba, Suku Park, Emili Sempere (Council member  2010 – 2016), Guangzhen Zhou, Torbjørn Kvasbø, Janet DeBoos, Vilma Villaverde, Monika Gass, Ilona Romule, David Jones, Oriol Calvos Vergés.