Jukka Takala, current Director of the ILO's In Focus Programme on Occupational Safety and Health at Work and the Environment (SafeWork) will succeed Hans-Horst Konkolewsky as the next Director of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work in Bilbao, Spain, this autumn.

Dr. Takala has been congratulated on many occasions for his success. Mr. Diop, ILO Executive-Director of Social Protection, paid personal tribute to him at the International Labour Conference in June for all his work for the ILO during the course of his career, highlighting his scientific and technical contribution to the occupational safety and health community and his great ability to work as a competent and reliable "team player" at the international level. The ILO is very pleased by this nomination that promises to further strengthen its partnership with the Agency.

Read also "Governing board appoints Jukka Takala as director", Press release (04.05.2006), European Agency for Safety and Health at Work.