Peer Baneke: celebrating the commitment of an inspiring leader in MS

After 18 years of dedicated service towards building a strong and impactful global MSIF movement, Peer Baneke, the Chief Executive of MSIF, will be retiring this December.

Peer Baneke

Growing up in Amsterdam, living for over 40 years in London, travelling extensively, and speaking four languages, Peer is truly a global citizen. Prior to joining MSIF in January 2007, Peer worked for Amnesty International and the European Council on Refugees and Exiles – international organisations underpinned by their commitment to making a positive difference for those impacted by inequality.

His interest in MS began when his father was diagnosed with the condition, in a time where there were very few treatments available. Notably, his closeness to the cause has led him to ensure that people affected by MS, and MS organisations that support them, are at the heart of MSIF and everything that it does.

Weyman Johnson, Chair of the MSIF Board between 2011 and 2019, reflected passionately about Peer’s contribution to the MS movement:

Weyman Johnson and Peer Baneke

‘Peer Baneke’s vision elevated MSIF to its proper role in the MS movement. He worked to bring together in harmony the MS societies and other institutions which have, along with the Federation, dramatically improved the lives of persons affected by MS. But equally helpful, Peer used his personal dedication, his insightfulness, and his linguistic skills to persuade and include individuals from every part of our world in the struggle against MS. Peer has been a remarkable leader and a dear friend.’

Peer’s many accomplishments have left a lasting mark on MSIF and the global MS community – though he would always give the credit to others! Here are just a few highlights:

Putting people with MS at the heart of the global agenda

For Peer, ensuring that the needs and views of people affected by MS are central to everything MSIF does, is the core value on which the organisation’s strategy and operations are built. Whether by ensuring the representation of people with MS in every working group and committee, or by consulting them on campaign messaging, Peer has always advocated for greater inclusivity. Of all his achievements, amplifying the voices of people with MS is one that Peer holds closest to his heart.

Launching flagship initiatives

In 2008, MSIF published the Atlas of MS in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), a landmark initiative that provided a global estimate of people living with MS and highlighted the inequality in access to diagnosis, treatment, and support. Shortly after Peer became CEO, he played a key role in ensuring the Atlas would be used in advocacy, encouraging members to use it nationally, and gaining international media coverage, including on platforms like the BBC World Service. Peer also advocated for regular updates to improve data accuracy and address limitations in the initial findings. Since then, the Atlas has been updated multiple times and is recognised by the MS community as the go-to source for global MS data.

Drawing from his experience in advocacy and campaigning, Peer led the launch of World MS Day in 2009, which has become the world’s largest MS awareness and advocacy campaign. More recently, in 2023, MSIF directed efforts to successfully add three MS treatments to the WHO’s Essential Medicines List, showcasing Peer’s leadership in bringing the movement together to drive change on a global scale.

Building a stronger global movement

With his commitment to leaving no one behind, Peer championed MSIF’s organisational development work in the Middle East, North Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Under his leadership, MSIF has become more globally representative, amplifying the voices of MS organisations and individuals affected by MS across diverse regions.

MSIF’s membership expanded during Peer’s time, welcoming new members from Russia, Estonia, Tunisia, Guatemala, Egypt, Lebanon, Spain, France, the Republic of North Macedonia, South Africa and the Netherlands – broadening our reach and strengthening our collective voice.

Advancing global collaboration in MS research

When Peer’s father was diagnosed with MS, there were no effective MS treatments available. Now, over 20 disease-modifying therapies for MS exist, a testament to the many researchers across the world who have worked to understand the biology of MS and develop safe and effective medicines to counteract its effects. Global, collaborative research will bring us closer to one day having cures for all forms of MS, something Peer recognised many years ago when he helped establish the International Progressive MS Alliance, with the National MS Society USA, MS Society UK, MS Canada, MS Australia, and Associazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla (Italy).

Bringing together his belief in the benefits of global research collaboration with his passion for putting people with MS at the heart of our global work, in 2019 Peer helped launch the Patient Reported Outcomes for MS (PROMS) Initiative. This global initiative, led jointly with the European Charcot Foundation and Associazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla, strives to reach consensus on a set of standardised patient reported outcomes to be used in MS research and healthcare.

Expanding information provision

Driven by his dedication to enable people with MS to make informed choices about their healthcare, Peer oversaw the creation of the MS Resource Hub, a platform hosting over 400 reliable MS information resources in more than 35 languages. This Hub is an invaluable tool not only for individuals affected by MS but also for MS organisations and healthcare professionals worldwide.

Celebrating the commitment of a leader in MS

Peer’s determination to improve the lives of people affected by MS across the world has inspired his leadership. His 18 years of service has had a deep-rooted impact on the global MSIF movement.

Mai Sharaway, Chair of MSIF’s board between 2019 and 2024, said:

Mai Sharaway

‘I’ve been working with Peer for seventeen years and we’ve been working so closely for the past five years. I was lucky to have him as the CEO of MSIF, his knowledge about the movement, his brilliant skills in networking, his holistic interests in politics, science, global economy and human rights made all the difference in his leadership to the Federation. As a friend, we shared the vision of a global MS movement for all. No one with MS should be left behind because he/she doesn’t have enough access or enough resources. I have enjoyed our discussions, our long hours of work on every project, every budget and every agenda. We have shared our glorious moments and our most difficult challenges and most importantly, we agreed beautifully and disagreed gracefully. I think Peer managed to make MSIF a true global federation where MS organisations and people with MS from around the globe find something useful and constructive.’

Peer’s dedication to making MSIF a great place to work has fostered a caring culture where staff are encouraged to work hard while prioritising well-being and work-life balance. This lasting impact reflects his commitment to valuing each individual.

Throughout his tenure, Peer has focused on enhancing MSIF’s global engagement and inclusivity. With Peer’s leadership, MSIF’s member organisations have shown that we are stronger together.