ILO Governing Body elects new Chairperson

GENEVA (ILO News) – The Governing Body of the International Labour Organization (ILO) elected Matthew Wilson (Barbados) as Chairperson for the coming year during its 357th Session on 13 June 2026.

Mr Wilson is currently the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Barbados to the United Nations, the World Trade Organization (WTO) and other international organizations in Geneva. He is also Ambassador to Switzerland, and Permanent Representative of Barbados to the UN agencies in Vienna and Rome.

Ms Catelene Passchier (Netherlands) was re-elected as the Worker Vice-Chairperson. Mr Matthias Thorns (Germany) was elected as the Employer Vice-Chairperson.

The ILO Governing Body, comprising 56 representatives of Governments and Employers’ and Workers’ Organizations, takes decisions on ILO policy, decides the agenda of the ILC, adopts the draft Programme and Budget of the Organization for submission to the Conference, and elects the Director-General. It meets three times a year, in March, June and October/November. Its next meeting will be held from 9 to 19 November 2026.