Advisory functions

The European Medicines Agency has advisory functions and support services that support the Executive Director and the Agency on a range of operational, policy and scientific issues in their various fields of expertise.
Corporate Governance

The advisory functions report directly to the Executive Director.

An organisation chart below shows the full structure of the advisory functions.

Organisation chart: Advisory functions

Organisation chart: Advisory functions

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Institutional and Policy

Hilde Boone

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Nationality: Belgian

Career to date:

  • Head of Institutional and Policy, European Medicines Agency (2022-present)
  • Head of Institutional and Policy (ad interim), European Medicines Agency (2021-2022)
  • Head of European Union Institutional Liaison, European Medicines Agency (2017-2021)
  • Head of European Union Institutional Liaison (ad interim), European Medicines Agency (2014-2017)
  • European Union Institutional Liaison Officer, European Medicines Agency (2012-1014)
  • European Medicines Agency Liaison Official, Food and Drug Administration, Washington DC, United States (2010-2012)
  • Regulatory Affairs Advisor, European Medicines Agency (1997-2009)
  • Health Regulatory Affairs Administrator Benelux, Upjohn / Pfizer, Puurs / Brussels, Belgium (1994-1997)
  • Trainee, Upjohn, Puurs, Belgium (1993)

Education:

  • Diploma in European regulatory affairs, Institute for Pharmaceutical Business Administration, Leiden / Amsterdam, the Netherlands (1996)
  • Industrial Pharmacist, University of Antwerp, Belgium / Technische Universität Carolo-Wilhelmina, Braunschweig, Germany (1993)
  • Pharmacist, University of Antwerp, Belgium (1992)

Declaration of interest: Hilde Boone

International Affairs

Martin Harvey Allchurch 

Martin Harvey Allchurch

Nationality: British / Italian

Career to date:

  • Head of International Affairs, European Medicines Agency (2021-present)
  • Principal International Affairs Officer, European Medicines Agency (2020-2021)
  • Head of Communications, Unitaid, Geneva, Switzerland (2020)
  • Governance and Executive Board Manager, Unitaid, Geneva, Switzerland, (2019-2020)
  • Principal International Affairs Officer, European Medicines Agency (2014-2019)
  • Head of Communications, European Medicines Agency (2012-2014)
  • Head of Office for the Executive Director, European Medicines Agency (2009-2012)
  • Head of Executive Support, European Medicines Agency (2004-2009)
  • Legal Administrator, European Medicines Agency (1995-2004)
  • Senior Consultant, Interel, Brussels, Belgium (1992-1995)

Education:

  • Master of International and European Law, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium (1991)
  • Bachelor of Laws, University of Dundee, UK (1990)

Declaration of interests: Martin Harvey Allchurch

Audit

Franck Diafouka

Franck Diafouka

Career to date:

  • Head of Audit, European Medicines Agency (2025 – present)
  • Head of Audit (ad interim), European Medicines Agency (2022 – 2025)
  • Senior Lead Audit, European Medicines Agency (2015 – 2022)
  • Member of Audit Advisory Committee, European Medicines Agency (2009 – 2012)
  • Head of Division Support (Inspections and Human Medicines Pharmacogivilance), European Medicines Agency (2013 – 2015)
  • Head of Department Support (Pharmacovigilance and Risk Management), European Medicines Agency (2010 – 2013)
  • Programme Manager Pharmacovigilance legislation, European Medicines Agency (2009 – 2015)
  • Scientific Administrator, European Medicines Agency (2006 – 2010)
  • Pharmacist - Dispensary Manager, Boots The Chemist, London, United Kingdom (2005 – 2006)
  • Quality Control Manager / Team Leader, Bristol Myers Squibb, Paris, France (2004 – 2005)
  • Pharmacist Pharmacovigilance / Medical Information (temporary), Lundbeck, Paris, France (2003)
  • Quality Assurance Manager (temporary), Opodex pharmaceutical, Paris, France (2003)
  • Research Associate, University Hospital, Montpellier, France (2000 – 2002)
  • Research Associate (internship), University Hospital, Nimes, France (1999 – 2000)

Education:

  • Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP) (2021)
  • Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) (2021)
  • Certified Government Auditing Professional (CGAP) (2016)
  • Certified Lead Auditor ISO 9001:2015 (2015)
  • Master in Entrepreneurship and Innovative Project Management, Institut d’Administration des Entreprises, Montpellier, France (2001 – 2002)
  • Docteur en Pharmacie (Pharmacy degree), University of Montpellier, France (1994 – 2002)

Georgia Gavriilidou

Portrait picture of the new Head of Legal

Nationality: Greek

Career to date:

  • Ad interim Head of General Affairs and Anti Fraud Office, European Medicines Agency (2025-present)
  • Head of the Legal Department, European Medicines Agency, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (2024-present)
  • Associate General Counsel and Executive Director, Amgen, Zurich, Switzerland (2020-2024)
  • Global Counsel, Food, Drug Medical Device Regulatory Life sciences, Sidley Austin LLP, London, United Kingdom (2019-2020)
  • Legal Administrator, Legal Department, European Medicines Agency, London, United Kingdom (2011-2018)
  • Associate-Solicitor, Bristows LLP, London, United Kingdom (2007-2011)

Education:

  • Master's in Law (LLM) in Medical Law and Ethics, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom (2006)
  • Bachelor of Laws, University of Athens, Athens, Greece (2004)
Declaration of interests: Georgia Gavriilidou

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Sandra Vanlievendael

Nationality: Belgian

Career to date:

  • Head of Pharma Law and Support to Core Business Office, European Medicines Agency (2020-present)
  • Head of Long Term and Special Projects Office, European Medicines Agency (2014-2020)
  • Head Pharmaceutical Law Section, European Medicines Agency (2012-2013)
  • Senior Legal Administrator, Legal Service, European Medicines Agency (2006-2012)
  • Legal Administrator, Legal Service, European Medicines Agency (1996-2006)
  • Legal Administrator, European Commission, Directorate-General XII/B/O - Science, Research and Development, Brussels, Belgium (1995-1996)
  • Legal Trainee, European Commission, Directorate-General - Environment, Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection, Brussels, Belgium (1993-1994)

Education:

  • Maîtrise en Droit européen, University of Liège, Belgium (1995)
  • Licentiaat in de Rechten, University of Antwerp, Belgium (1992)
  • Kandidaat in de Rechten, University of Brussels (University Faculties St Aloysius), Belgium (1989)

Declaration of interests: Sandra Vanlievendael

Georgia Gavriilidou

  • Head of Legal and ad interim Head of General Affairs and Anti Fraud Office

Helen Kerr

Nationality: Irish

Career to date:

  • Ad interim Head of Litigation Office, European Medicines Agency, Amsterdam, Netherlands, (2025-present)
  • Legal Administrator, European Medicines Agency, Amsterdam, Netherlands, (2019-2025)
  • Legal Administrator, European Medicines Agency, London, United Kingdom (2017-2019)
  • Trainee, European Medicines Agency, London, United Kingdom (2016-2017)
  • Trainee, Life Sciences Practice Group, Hogan Lovells, Brussels, Belgium (2013-2014)
  • Assistant, Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Brussels Belgium (2014-2015)
  • Blue Book Trainee, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, European Commission, Brussels, Belgium (2013-2014)
  • Licensing consultant, Garmendia Consulting Group, Madrid, Spain (2012-2013)

Education

Declaration of interests: Helen Kerr

Chief Medical Officer

Steffen Thirstrup 

Steffen Thirstrup portrait

Nationality: Danish

Career to date:

  • Chief Medical Officer, European Medicines Agency (2022-present)
  • Director, NDA Advisory Services, NDA Group AB, Upplands Väsby, Sweden (2013-2022)
  • Affiliate Professor, University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Denmark (2013)
  • Head of Institute, Danish Medicines Agency, Institute of Rational Pharmacotherapy, Copenhagen, Denmark (2009-2011)
  • Head of Licensing Department, Danish Medicines Agency, Licensing Department, Copenhagen, Denmark (2011-2013)
  • Member of CHMP, Danish Medicines Agency, Copenhagen, Denmark (2004-2009)
  • Member of CAT, Danish Medicines Agency, Copenhagen, Denmark (2008-2009)
  • Chief Medical Officer, Danish Medicines Agency, Copenhagen, Denmark (2004-2009)
  • Co-Chair of EC Working Group on Market Access of Biosimilars under the EU Platform on Market Access of Medicines in the EU, Danish Medicines Agency, Copenhagen, Denmark (2011-2013)
  • Specialist Registrar, University Hospital Copenhagen, Hvidovre, Denmark (2003-2004)
  • Senior House Officer, University Hospital Copenhagen, Rigshospitale and Hvidovre, Denmark (2001-2003)
  • Medical Officer, Danish Medicines Agency, Institute for Rational Pharmacotherapy, Copenhagen, Denmark (2000-2001)
  • Senior House Officer, University Hospital Aarhu, Denmark (1998-1999)
  • Doctor of Philosophy student, University of Aarhus, Institute for Pharmacology, Denmark (1995-1997)
  • Junior House Officer, Regional Hospitals, Viborg Amt, Denmark (1993-1994)

Education

  • Doctor of Philosophy in Medicine, Pharmacology, University of Aarhus, Denmark (1995-1997)
  • Medicine Degree, University of Aarhus, Denmark (1986-1993)
  • Board-certified Specialist in Clinical Pharmacology, National Board of Health, Denmark (2002)
  • License to practice as a physician, National Board of Health, Denmark (1995)

Declaration of interests: Steffen Thirstrup

Public Health Threats

MCavaleri.jpg

Marco Cavaleri

Nationality: Italian

Career to date:

  • Head of Public Health Threats, European Medicines Agency (2024-present)
  • Head of Health Threats and Vaccines Strategy, European Medicines Agency (2020-2024)
  • Head of Biological Health Threats and Vaccines Strategy, European Medicines Agency (2020-2022)
  • Head of Anti-infectives and Vaccines, European Medicines Agency (2009-2020)
  • Therapeutic Group Leader for Anti-infectives, European Medicines Agency (2008-2009)
  • Associate Scientific Director, Cosmo Pharmaceuticals S.p.A., Lainate, Italy (2008)
  • Scientific Administrator, European Medicines Agency (2005-2007)
  • Associate Director of Clinical Pharmacology, Tibotec BVBA, Mechelen, Belgium (2005)
  • Senior Clinical Scientist, Clinical Development, Vicuron Pharmaceuticals Italy srl, Gerenzano, Italy (2003-2005)
  • Preclinical Development Scientist and Head of Bioanalysis and Pharmacokinetics, Biosearch Italia, Gerenzano, Italy (1997-2003)

Education:

Declaration of interests: Marco Cavaleri

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