The World Dementia Council (WDC) elected Joanne Pike, Alzheimer’s Association president and chief executive officer (CEO) as its new vice chair. In this leadership role, Pike will advance the organisation’s global efforts to improve the lives of people affected by dementia.

“Thank you to my colleagues on the World Dementia Council for selecting me to serve as the new vice chair,” said Pike. “New treatments for early Alzheimer’s and promising dementia treatments in the research pipeline are offering hope to the global dementia community, but more work remains. I look forward to our work with international governments and organizations to continue making progress on the global public health challenge of dementia.”

The WDC was formed in December 2013 following the G8 Dementia Summit in London. Today, the WDC consists of senior experts and leaders research, academia, industry, NGOs and people living with dementia, representing high-, middle-, and low-income countries. The WDC also has associate members, including organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and national governments.

“During this critical phase, Dr. Pike will help lead our work to support Alzheimer’s and dementia research and secure equitable access to treatments for all those living with dementia,” said Professor Philip Scheltens, WDC Chair. “Together we will continue to advance the international response to dementia and renew our commitment to accelerating progress towards more effective treatments and one day, a cure.” Earlier this year Pike joined the WDC as a trustee. She succeeds Professor Kiyoshi Kurokawa, chair of the Health and Global Policy Institute (Japan) and professor emeritus of the University of Tokyo, who has served as Vice Chair since 2021. The World Dementia Council members acknowledged the contribution of Professor Kurokawa to the Council and the cause over many years.