Dr Sharon McGuinness has been selected as the next executive director of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) following an open competition. Dr McGuinness had been the CEO of the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) since 2018. The Helsinki-based ECHA is the EU agency with responsibility for implementing the EU’s chemicals legislation. 

As part of the appointment procedure, she will make a statement before the European Parliament and answer questions from its members. This is tentatively scheduled for July 4, 2022.

Dr Sharon McGuinness, newly appointed executive director of the European Chemicals Agency

Paul Krajnik, chair of ECHA’s Management Board said: “Congratulations to Sharon – we have selected an excellent candidate and look forward to hearing the European Parliament’s views. The new executive director will play an instrumental role for the agency, which enters a crucial time in its work, marked by the EU’s ambitious objectives under the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability.”

Prior to her role at the HSA, Dr McGuinness was the assistant chief executive for the Chemicals and Prevention Division within the authority, with responsibility for division management, policy provision, advice and enforcement for a wide range of occupational health and safety, chemical and market surveillance legislation aimed at protecting human health and safety for workers and consumers.

She was a member of ECHA’s management board between 2014-2020 and chair of the board between 2016-2020. She graduated from University College Dublin with a BSc (Hons) in pharmacology and chemistry, and she holds a PhD in pharmacology, as well as diplomas in legal studies and company direction.

Dr McGuinness was one of the candidates preselected by the European Commission after an open competition and interviewed by the management board for the post.

Her selection follows that of Bjorn Hansen who retired in March 2022. Since April 1, 2022, Shay O’Malley has been ECHA’s acting executive director.

The term of office of the executive director is five years. It may be prolonged by the management board once, for a further term of five years.