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The Chair and Vice-chair are elected from among the Commissioners and usually serve for four years, first as Vice-chair for two years, and then as Chair.

The current Chair is Amadou Telivel Diallo of the Republic of Guinea and the current Vice-chair is Dr Nick Gales of Australia.  Both were elected into office at the Commission meeting in October 2022. 

 
 
 
 
 

List of Previous Chairs

The names and national government of IWC Chairs and Vice-chairs from 1949 to the present day are listed below.  An additional column shows the Meeting Chair which, for a variety of reasons, has occasionally differed from the Annual/Biennial Chair.

 

Chair

Vice-chair

Meeting Chair

2021/22

Bibic (Slovenia)

Diallo (Rep of Guinea)

Bibic (Slovenia)

2020/21

Bibic (Slovenia)

Diallo (Rep of Guinea)

Bibic (Slovenia)
Virtual Special Meeting focused on Budgetary Issues

2019/20

Bibic (Slovenia)

Diallo (Rep of Guinea)

Postponed due to Covid-19 pandemic

2018/19

Bibic (Slovenia)

Diallo (Rep of Guinea)

N/A

2017/18

Morishita (Japan)

Bibic (Slovenia)

Morishita (Japan)

2016/17

Morishita (Japan)

Bibic (Slovenia)

N/A

2015/16

Mainini (Switzerland)

Morishita (Japan)

Mainini (Switzerland)

2014/15

Mainini (Switzerland)

Morishita (Japan)

N/A

2013/14

Compton-Antoine (St Lucia) Chemay (Belgium) 

Compton-Antoine (St Lucia)

2012/13

Compton-Antoine (St. Lucia)

Chemay (Belgium)

Bruno Mainini (Switzerland)

2011/12

 

 

Herman Oosthuizen (South Africa)

2010/11

 

Liverpool (Antigua and Barbuda)

Anthony Liverpool (Antigua and Barbuda)

2009/10

Maquieira (Chile)

Liverpool (Antigua and Barbuda)

Dr Bill Hogarth (USA)

2008/09

Hogarth (USA)

Nakamae (Japan)

Dr Bill Hogarth (USA)

2007/08

Hogarth (USA)

Morimoto (Japan)

Dr Bill Hogarth (USA)

2006/07

Hogarth (USA)

Morimoto (Japan)

Henrik Fischer (Denmark)

2005/06

Fischer (Denmark)

Kleinschmidt (South Africa)

Henrik Fischer (Denmark)

2004/05

Fischer (Denmark)

Kleinschmidt (South Africa)

Rolland Schmitten (USA) 

2003/04

Fischer (Denmark)

Schmitten (USA) [Acting Chair]

Dominguez (Spain)

Morimoto (Japan) [Acting Vice-Chair]

Prof. Bo Fernholm (Sweden) 

2002/03

Fernholm (Sweden)

Fischer (Denmark)

Prof. Bo Fernholm (Sweden) 

2001/02

Fernholm (Sweden)

Fischer (Denmark)

Prof. Bo Fernholm (Sweden) 

2000/01

Fernholm (Sweden)

Fischer (Denmark)

Mr. Michael Canny (Ireland) 

1999/00

Canny (Ireland)

Fernholm (Sweden)

Mr. Michael Canny (Ireland) 

1998/99

Canny (Ireland)

Fernholm (Sweden)

Mr. Michael Canny (Ireland) 

1997/98

Canny (Ireland)

Fernholm (Sweden)

Dr. P. Bridgewater (Australia) 

1996/97

Bridgewater (Australia)

Canny (Ireland)

Dr. P. Bridgewater (Australia) 

1995/96

Bridgewater (Australia)

Canny (Ireland)

Dr. P. Bridgewater (Australia) 

1994/95

Bridgewater (Australia)

Botha (South Africa)

Dr. L. Fleischer (Mexico) 

1993/94

Fleischer (Mexico)

Bridgewater (Australia)

Dr. L. Fleischer (Mexico) 

1992/93

Fleischer (Mexico)

Bridgewater (Australia)

Dr. L. Fleischer (Mexico) 

1991/92

Fleischer (Mexico)

Bridgewater (Australia)

Mr S. Irberger (Sweden) 

1990/91

Irberger (Sweden)

Fleischer (Mexico)

Mr S. Irberger (Sweden) 

1989/90

Irberger (Sweden)

Fleischer (Mexico)

Mr S. Irberger (Sweden) 

1988/89

Irberger (Sweden)

Fleischer (Mexico)

Mr. I. L. G. Stewart (New Zealand) 

1987/88

Stewart (New Zealand)

Haddon (UK)

Mr. I. L. G. Stewart (New Zealand) 

1986/87

Stewart (New Zealand)

Haddon (UK)

Mr. I. L. G. Stewart (New Zealand) 

1985/86

Stewart (New Zealand)

Haddon (UK)

Mr. E.H. Iglesias (Argentina) 

1984/85

Iglesias (Argentina)

Lemche (Denmark)

Mr. E.H. Iglesias (Argentina) 

1983/84

Iglesias (Argentina)

Lemche (Denmark)

Mr. E.H. Iglesias (Argentina) 

1982/83

Iglesias (Argentina)

Lemche (Denmark)

Mr. E.H. Iglesias (Argentina) 

1981/82

Iglesias (Argentina)

Lemche (Denmark)

Mr. T. Asgeirsson (Iceland) 

1980/81

Asgeirsson (Iceland)

Mercer (Canada)

Mr. T. Asgeirsson (Iceland) 

1979/80

Asgeirsson (Iceland)

Mercer (Canada)

Mr. T. Asgeirsson (Iceland) 

1978/79

Asgeirsson (Iceland)

Mercer (Canada)

 

1977/78

Bollen (Australia)

Asgeirsson (Iceland)

 

1976/77

Bollen (Australia)

Asgeirsson (Iceland)

 

1975/76

Bollen (Australia)

Asgeirsson (Iceland)

 

1974/75

Rindal (Norway)

Bollen (Australia)

Mr. I. Rindal (Norway) 

1973/74

Rindal (Norway)

Bollen (Australia)

 

1972/73

Rindal (Norway)

Bollen (Australia)

 

1971/72

Rindal (Norway)

Setter (Australia)

 

1970/71

McHugh (USA)

Rindal (Norway)

 

1969/70

Fujita (Japan)

McHugh (USA)

 

1968/69

Fujita (Japan)

McHugh (USA)

 

1967/68

Tame (UK)

Fujita (Japan)

 

1966/67

Tame (UK)

Fujita (Japan)

 

1965/66

Sukhoruchenko (USSR)

Tame (UK)

 

1964/65

Sukhoruchenko (USSR)

Tame (UK)

 

1963/64

Sukhoruchenko (USSR)

Gardner (UK)

 

1962/63

Sukhoruchenko (USSR)

Tame (UK)

 

1961/62

Clark (Canada)

Sukhoruchenko (USSR)

 

1960/61

Clark (Canada)

Engholm (UK)

 

1959/60

Clark (Canada)

Engholm (UK)

 

1958/59

Wall (UK)

Clark (Canada)

 

1957/58

Lienesch (Netherlands)

Wall (UK)

Dr. G. J. Lienesch 

1956/57

Lienesch (Netherlands)

Wall (UK)

 

1955/56

Remington Kellogg (USA)

Lienesch (Netherlands)

 

1954/55

Remington Kellogg (USA)

Lienesch (Netherlands)

 

1953/54

Remington Kellogg (USA)

Lienesch (Netherlands)

 

1952/53

Remington Kellogg (USA)

Lienesch (Netherlands)

 

1951/52

Bergersen (Norway)

Remington Kellogg (USA)

 

1950/51

Bergersen (Norway)

Remington Kellogg (USA)

 

1949/50

Bergersen (Norway)

Remington Kellogg (USA)