Celebrating our legacy, welcoming the next chapter

Last week, the IDPC Board of Directors gathered in Amsterdam for our annual face-to face meeting - a valuable opportunity to reflect on the challenges and opportunities ahead, discuss our vision for the future, and spend time together as colleagues and friends. It was also a particularly special occasion, as we had the chance to say thank you to Ann Fordham in person as she concludes her remarkable leadership of IDPC, and to officially welcome Jamie Bridge as our new Executive Director.

As IDPC celebrates its twentieth anniversary, these moments of reflection and renewal feel especially significant. On behalf of the IDPC Board of Directors, I want to express our deepest gratitude to everyone who has been part of this journey, our members, partners, donors, governments, and friends around the world. Your commitment, solidarity and determination have made IDPC the impactful global network it is today.

This year marks a significant leadership transition. After 17 years with IDPC, including 15 years as Executive Director, Ann Fordham is stepping down. It is difficult to overstate the impact of her leadership. Under Ann's stewardship, IDPC has grown from a small coalition into a diverse global network of more than 200 member organisations working across more than 70 countries. Together, we have helped shift international drug policy debates away from punishment and stigma and towards health, human rights and social justice.

Ann leaves behind an IDPC network that is stronger, more resilient and more influential than ever. On behalf of the Board, thank you, Ann, for your vision, integrity and tireless commitment to this movement. Your legacy will continue to shape IDPC for years to come.

At the same time, we are delighted to welcome Jamie Bridge as IDPC's new Executive Director. Jamie has been at the heart of IDPC's work for many years, earning the trust and respect of colleagues, members and partners across the world. We have every confidence in his leadership and look forward to supporting him as he guides the network through its next chapter.

We are equally pleased to congratulate Marie Nougier on her appointment as Deputy Director. Marie has played a pivotal role in shaping IDPC's policy and advocacy work over many years, and her experience, strategic insight and unwavering commitment to our mission will be invaluable as she works alongside Jamie to lead the organisation into its next phase.

The timing could not be more important. Civil society is facing unprecedented financial pressures, civic space continues to shrink in many parts of the world, and multilateral cooperation is under increasing strain. Harmful narratives that justify repression continue to resurface just as communities most affected by punitive drug policies face growing uncertainty.

Yet these challenges only reinforce why IDPC exists. Over the past two decades, our strength has always come from our members, our Secretariat and our shared belief that drug policies must be grounded in evidence, compassion and human rights. During our discussions in Amsterdam, we were reminded once again that, despite an increasingly difficult global context, our movement continues to adapt, evolve and find new ways to advance reform. We are immensely proud of the extraordinary commitment shown by the Secretariat team and by our members around the world, who continue to advocate for change with resilience, courage and determination.

As we embark on this new chapter, we do so with confidence—not only in Jamie and Marie's leadership, but in the extraordinary Secretariat team, our Board, and our network of more than 200 member organisations. Together, we will defend the progress that has been achieved, continue amplifying the voices of affected communities, and build an even stronger movement for the future.