At its meeting on 24 April 2025, International IDEA’s Council of Member States appointed three new Members to the Board of Advisers. The Institute is delighted to welcome new individuals to the Board and looks forward to a close collaboration over the coming three years.
Starting on 1 May 2025, the Board of Advisers will be joined by:
Beatriz Argimón who recently served as the Vice President of Uruguay. She has also held positions as the President of the Senate of the Republic as well as of the General Assembly of the National Parliament. With over 25 years of political leadership experience, Argimón has been an important champion of democracy, human rights, and gender equality. She is also the founder of several key initiatives promoting women’s political participation and representation.
Geneviève Garrigos, an elected representative of the 20th arrondissement of Paris since 2020 and recipient of the Légion d'honneur, has extensive international experience. She is the former President of Amnesty International France and has also served as the Head of Programmes for the Americas region within the organization. Throughout her public service, she has been a strong human rights advocate and an active member of civil society.
Fernando Rojas Samanez is a former Peruvian diplomat with vast experience in international cooperation. His career with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Peru spanned over four decades and included serving as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Secretary-General of the Ministry. Having held ambassadorial posts to various countries and international organizations, he has a deep understanding of both regional democracy trends and multilateralism.
The new Members will join a group of distinguished experts from all over the world. The current Board Members include the Chair of the Board Christian Leffler, Vice Chair of the Board Isabel Aninat as well as Hussein al-Taee, Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, Eva Maria Belser, Samson Itodo, Julia Leininger, Lindlyn Moma, Thant Myint-U, Megan Price, Tom Rogers and Rizal Sukma.
International IDEA sincerely thanks the three outgoing Board Members Sunil Arora, Laura Chinchilla and Tsogtbaatar Damdin who all departed from the Board in late 2024. The Institute appreciates their lasting contributions to International IDEA's work and wishes them all the best for the future.
The Board of Advisers, composed of leading experts in their fields, provides strategic advice and supports the Institute with partnership-building, fundraising, and outreach efforts.
