ZMT - Leibniz Zentrum für Marine Tropenforschung

Rebecca Lahl takes over the helm at IOI Germany

Rebecca Lahl, Co-Lead of Programme Area 5 ‘Ocean Literacy, Equity and Leadership’ at ZMT, has been confirmed as the new head of the International Ocean Institute (IOI) Germany taking over the reins from ZMT Scientific Director, Prof. Dr. Raimund Bleischwitz, who has been at the helm of IOI Germany for the past two years. The German branch of the IOI is hosted at ZMT since 2002 and Rebecca Lahl’s appointment continues the long-standing fruitful collaboration between the IOI and ZMT which started under the initial lead of Dr. Werner Ekau.

Antonella Vassallo, Managing Director of the IOI headquarters in Malta, thanked Raimund Bleischwitz for his support and dedication to the IOI over the years and welcomed Rebecca Lahl to her new role. In her letter of confirmation, she wrote: “We look forward to working with Ms Lahl and to further enhancing the strong and fruitful relationship with IOI Germany. We welcome her to the post, knowing already that her professional and personal qualities will be an asset in her new role.”

Raimund Bleischwitz says: “ZMT is very committed to its partnership with IOI. With her extensive experience in knowledge exchange, capacity development, policy work, education and stakeholder engagement we consider Rebecca a great fit for this role.”

Rebecca Lahl, who is also the head of the Office for Knowledge Exchange at ZMT, views the new tasks as complementary to her current roles: “In the last years, we have continuously developed training formats and plan to regularly offer trainings on Co-Design, Impact, Ocean Governance, Marine Protected Areas, Modelling and other topics which can also be of interest to the IOI. It is my pleasure to work more closely with the IOI and its networks and partners in the tropics to gain a wider reach and developing new initiatives towards IOI’s mission. I look forward to strengthening ZMT’s contribution to IOI and increase the visibility of the IOI Germany.”

About the International Ocean Institute (IOI)
The International Ocean Institute (IOI) is a world leading independent, non-governmental non-profit organisation conducting training and capacity building in Ocean Governance with the aim of creating knowledgeable future leaders.

IOI trains young and mid-career practitioners in contemporary approaches to coastal and ocean management, with an emphasis on the moral, ethical and legal values in Ocean Governance (equity and peaceful uses of the ocean).

In 1972, the IOI was founded by Professor Elisabeth Mann Borgese and its establishment was a milestone in the struggle to promote the concept of Pacem in Maribus (peace in the oceans) and the conservation of the ocean and its resources so that future generations can share in their benefits. The IOI enjoys special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and consultative status at some of UN’s Specialized Agencies, and works to uphold and expand the principle of the common heritage as defined in the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea. www.ioinst.org