Global Initiative Board Member, Jean-Luc Vez, Managing Director for Security Policy and Security Affairs at the World Economic Forum (WEF), and the former head of the Federal Office of Police (fedpol), died on Thursday 28th December, 2017.

Jean-Luc sat on the Board of the Global Initiative since its inception in 2013, nominated by the Swiss Government, our host state. In the words of his fellow Board Members, Jean-Luc was an “extremely intelligent, probing and thoughtful member of our Board from the beginning”; “a committed and passionate, a wise counsellor and a good companion”.

Jean-Luc was always an active and insightful supporter of the GI’s work. Jean-Luc was instrumental in facilitating our connections to the World Economic Forum, and in raising the profile of the Global Initiative to relevant stakeholders in the Swiss Government and elsewhere.

Prior to joining the WEF, Jean-Luc had been in the service of the Swiss Confederation for twenty-seven years. He headed fedpol from 2000 until early 2014, after having held the position of deputy director and head of the core data protection law division in 1996. On his departure, the Federal Department of Justice and Police reported he left a strong imprint on the development of fedpol, which includes the judicial police, security police and administrative police. He strove to anchor the office as a partner authority not only in Switzerland but also globally, for he believed that one of the most important developments and greatest threats in recent years was “the globalization of crime”.

Jean-Luc will be sorely missed by all members of the Global Initiative. We mark his passing with the greatest of respect and a true sense of loss. On behalf of all members of the Board, Network and Secretariat of the Global Initiative, we would like to offer our condolences to his family and friends in this difficult time.