Before joining the CEPF Secretariat, Hélène Koch completed a traineeship in the Land Use and Management Unit of the DG Environment, European Commission. Ms Koch is Belgian and holds a M.Sc. in European Forestry from the University of Eastern Finland and the Albert-Ludwigs University of Freiburg. She has also completed an industrial engineering degree in agronomy, environment and land management in Belgium. Franz Thoma, the previous CEPF Policy Advisor will continue his career at the Bavarian State Forest Enterprise.
Furthermore, the CEPF Board appointed Meri Siljama as Interim Secretary General due to Fanny-Pomme Langue’s maternity leave. Ms Siljama has worked at the CEPF Secretariat since 2014 in different positions, lately as Policy Advisor for climate, energy, bioeconomy and circular economy policies. Ms Siljama holds a M.Sc. in Forest Economics and Marketing from the University of Helsinki.