The director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO) is the

chief executive officer A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...

of WHO and the principal advisor to the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...

on matters pertaining global health. The director general is elected by and answers to the

World Health Assembly The World Health Assembly (WHA) is the forum through which the World Health Organization (WHO) is governed by its 194 member states. It is the world's highest health policy setting body and is composed of health ministers from member states. T ...

(WHA). The current director-general is Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who was appointed on 1 July 2017, and re-appointed on 24 May 2022. The Director-General also leads the

WHO Secretariat Who or WHO may refer to: * Who (pronoun), an interrogative or relative pronoun * Who?, one of the Five Ws in journalism * World Health Organization Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Who, a creature in the Dr. Seuss book ''Horton Hear ...

and is also the ex-officio Secretary of the

, the WHO Executive Board, and of all commissions and committees, and conferences convened by the Organization.

Selection process

Candidates for Director-General can be proposed by Member States, then nominated by the Executive Board and appointed by the

. The appointment process begins more than one year prior to the May vote, when the WHO sends out a letter informing Member States that the nomination process has begun. The nomination period ends in mid-September, and candidates are announced at the end of October. If there are multiple candidates, the

executive board of the WHO Executive ( exe., exec., execu.) may refer to: Role or title * Executive, a senior management role in an organization ** Chief executive officer (CEO), one of the highest-ranking corporate officers (executives) or administrators ** Executive dire ...

— a panel of members from 34 member countries representing the various WHO regions — interviews the nominees. The term of the Director-General lasts for five years. Office holders can be and have been appointed for multiple subsequent terms, such as

Marcolino Gomes Candau Marcolino Gomes Candau (30 May 1911 – 23 January 1983) was a Brazilian doctor who served as director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO) from 1953 to 1973. He did doctorate and other courses such as MPH, and FRCP before serve ...

who served for four consecutive terms. The Director-General is typically appointed in May, when the WHA meets. Flag of WHO

List of Directors-General of the WHO

References

{{WHO Directors-General World Health Organization Public health