Marc Workman has been appointed to the position of Chief Executive Officer of the World Blind Union. Following an extensive competition among many well-qualified candidates, Marc accepted our offer earlier this month and he has officially started in the role as of January 24.
Marc will lead the WBU from his home office in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He joins us from the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) where he most recently held the role of Manager, Programs and Operations for the Alberta and Northwest Territories Division. In addition to his employment with CNIB, Marc is an experienced public servant, having spent over five years in a variety of roles with the Alberta Public Service.
With Marc’s appointment, this of course means that José Viera will be fully transitioning over to his new role as the Director of Advocacy with the International Disability Alliance.
We congratulate José on his new venture and express our deep gratitude for all his contributions to the WBU!
These are exciting times for the WBU. We are all optimistic that we will soon find our way out of this pandemic, and with a new CEO in place, along with a new strategic plan to guide our actions, we are well-positioned to bring about significant gains towards our goal of creating a world where people who are blind or partially sighted can realize their full potential and pursue their goals however they choose.
I hope you share my optimism and will join me in bidding a fond farewell to José and a warm welcome to Marc as we embark on the WBU’s next exciting chapter!
Martine Abel-Williamson, WBU President