The board of directors of the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative appointed Mark Feinberg, MD, PhD, as IAVI’s new president and chief executive officer, effective September 8.

According to an IAVI press release, Feinberg has more than 30 years’ experience working in HIV research efforts, including the realms of academics, government and industry. For the past 11 years, he was a leader in Merck’s vaccine and infectious disease portfolios. He also helped advance research and development on diseases that disproportionately affect people living in poverty.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to work with the IAVI team and their tremendous partners to fulfill IAVI’s promise to be the most effective partner, catalyst and facilitator in supporting collective efforts to accelerate the development of an effective HIV vaccine,” Feinberg said in the release. “This goal remains a critically important one, and achieving it will require all of us to apply the best science and creativity along with a high level of openness to forging new models of collaboration.”

The IAVI is a global nonprofit that was founded in 1996. Today it works with partners in 25 countries to develop and research potential AIDS vaccines. To learn more about IAVI’s goals, you can download its strategy plan for 2011–2015.