"All of us in The Union, the global public health community and the sick, poor and disadvantaged people to whom our work is devoted owe an enormous debt of gratitude to Dr Billo for more than two decades of extraordinary dedication and achievement," said Dr E Jane Carter, President of The Union. "We wish him well as he embarks on the next chapter of his life."
Under Dr Billo's leadership, Dr Carter noted, The Union has grown significantly in size, scope and stature. When he became the Executive Director in 1992, it was a small federation of members based in Paris with about a dozen staff and consultants who focused on tuberculosis.
Today The Union is a leading international health organisation with 15,000 members and subscribers in 152 countries, and some 300 staff and consultants working from 12 offices worldwide, in addition to its Paris headquarters. The Union's mandate has also expanded to include child lung health, HIV/AIDS, the pandemic of diseases caused by tobacco use and the rise of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Dr Carter said The Union was fortunate that to be able draw on Mr Castro's in-depth experience with The Union and knowledge of public health. He joined The Union in 2001, following leadership roles in addressing the tuberculosis epidemics in India and New York City, and has since driven some of the organisation's most important initiatives.
The transition team also includes Prabodh Bhambal, head of The Union's global financial operations, as Interim Deputy Executive Director, and Dr Paula I Fujiwara, Director of the TB and HIV Departments, as Interim Scientific Director.
Dr Billo will continue to serve as a Senior Consultant focusing on specific projects, such as the strategic plan, conferences and key partnerships.
"We are pleased to have such a strong team to lead this transition", said Dr Carter, "as we prepare for the 44th Union World Conference on Lung Health and launch our strategic plan, which will culminate in our centennial celebration at the close of this decade".