Press release

Medair appoints Anne Reitsema as new CEO

4 April 2023 / Switzerland

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Medair is delighted to announce that Anne Reitsema will be its next CEO.

Medair is a leading faith-based humanitarian organisation that responds to major crises triggered by natural
disasters or conflict. Its mandate is to save lives and relieve human suffering in some of the world’s most
devastated and difficult to reach places. Medair is currently responding to humanitarian crises in Turkey, Syria,
Ukraine, Poland, Yemen, Somalia, Kenya, Sudan, South Sudan, DR Congo, Madagascar, Jordan, Lebanon and
Afghanistan.

Anne Reitsema is a leading voice and practitioner within the global humanitarian sector. In the last twenty years
she has directly led humanitarian responses in Darfur, Somalia, Angola, Northern Uganda and South Sudan.
More recently, as International Director, she has overseen all of Medair’s country programmes in the MiddleEast, Central Asia, Europe and Africa. Anne also serves as one of the United Nations Global Emergency Directors.

Anne grew up in KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. Experiencing the extreme conflict that impacted her community
gave her a passion for coming alongside conflict affected communities, upholding the value of human life and
recognizing the role of dignity and hope in bringing restoration.

The appointment follows a rigorous external search process overseen by Medair’s International Board of
Trustees. Anne brings to the role a huge depth of humanitarian leadership experience, a compelling vision for Medair’s growing role in a rapidly changing world.

Commenting on the appointment James Featherby, Chair of Medair’s International Board of Trustees, said:

“We are thrilled that Anne has agreed to become Medair’s next CEO. Medair brings help and hope in extremely
tough places. No one is better placed than Anne to lead and grow Medair’s presence in a world that is increasingly
challenged by conflict, disaster and displacement. She is a remarkable person, with the heart and experience to
inspire a new generation of humanitarians. ”

Anne Reitsema responded:

“It is a huge honour to take on the leadership of Medair. We find ourselves in uncertain times with a dramatic
increase of people displaced from their homes and in direct need of humanitarian assistance. It is a privilege to
come alongside those people and work together to restore their lives. My colleagues here at Medair are
extraordinary. They deliver life-saving assistance in extreme circumstances whilst living out Medair’s values of
compassion, integrity, accountability, dignity, hope, joy and faith. The volatility and insecurity in the places we
work requires the highest levels of courage, agility and professionalism. It is my prayer that we continue to grow
in the impact of our work and the quality of relationships that we build with local communities.”

Since 1989 Medair has been responding to humanitarian crises so that the world’s most vulnerable
communities may live with dignity, free from human suffering and with hope for a better future.
Medair currently operates in 14 countries, through 1,500 staff and in partnership with 8,000 local
volunteers.
In 2022 Medair assisted over four million people and had revenues of more than US$ 100 million.