A message from MSIF’s new CEO, Lydia Makaroff

MSIF is delighted to announce Lydia Makaroff as its new CEO. Lydia is public health leader, working to improve healthcare systems through the power of global collaboration. She was previously the Chief Executive of Fight Bladder Cancer, and President of the World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition. Read Lydia’s message to the global MS community, as MSIF continues to work towards our shared vision of a world without MS.

Hi everyone,

I’m Lydia Makaroff, and I’m so pleased to introduce myself as the new Chief Executive of the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation. Joining this amazing community is a privilege, and I’m excited to work with all of you to make a difference for people living with and affected by MS.

Let me share a bit about my background. I’ve lived in Australia, the USA, Belgium, and the UK. I have dedicated my career to improving healthcare systems and advocating for equitable access to care. Before MSIF, I conducted medical research into auto-immune diseases, worked at the International Diabetes Federation, co-founded the World Bladder Cancer Patient Coalition, where I worked with organisations across the world to amplify voices, raise awareness, and push for better care. That experience showed me the incredible impact we can have when we collaborate globally and stay focused on the needs of people directly affected by the issues we’re tackling.

What makes MSIF so special is its ability to bring together people and organisations from all over the world, united by a shared vision: a world without MS. Whether it’s advocating for MS treatments to be added to the World Health Organization’s Essential Medicines List or advancing global research, this community has achieved so much already. I can’t wait to contribute to the ongoing efforts.

I’d also like to express my gratitude to Peer Baneke, who was such a remarkable Chief Executive for MSIF. His dedication to putting people with and affected by MS at the heart of everything while building strong global partnerships has left an incredible legacy.

As I settle into this role, one of my priorities is making sure we listen to and learn from people living with MS. The strength of MSIF lies in its community: people living with and affected by MS, MS organisations, researchers, and healthcare professionals. By sharing ideas and working together, we can overcome even the toughest challenges, like improving access to therapies and driving research into MS.

I’m also keen to explore ways to help MS organisations share resources and best practices. Whether it’s creating advocacy toolkits or using the Atlas of MS for local policy work, we have so much we can learn from each other to amplify our collective impact.

Together, we can continue building a brighter future for everyone affected by MS.

Take care,

Lydia

Lydia Makaroff  | Chief Executive | Multiple Sclerosis International Federation