Our work is driven by a vibrant community of microbiologists who contribute their time, expertise, diverse perspectives, and passion to everything we do. On 4 September 2026 in Stockholm, Sweden, delegates from FEMS Member Societies across Europe came together to exchange ideas and to receive an update on the charity’s activities from the last year. They also had the privilege and duty of electing the next FEMS President and three incoming Board members who are charged with delivering on the FEMS mission over the next few years.
We are very pleased to congratulate incoming FEMS President Dr Michael Sauer who will begin his three-year term on 1 January 2027. He takes over from Prof. Antonio Ventosa, to whom FEMS is extremely grateful for his dedication, and leadership of the Board over the last three years.
FEMS is also pleased to welcome Ivica Dimkić, Célia Manaia and Martyna Glodowska as three new Trustees. Elected alongside the new President, they will begin their 3-year terms on the FEMS Board at the start of 2027.
Introducing the next FEMS President
Dr Michael Sauer is currently Head of Biotechnology at OMV AG, Austria, and brings extensive scientific, industrial, and society leadership experience.
Elise Kuurstra, the FEMS Executive Director, said:
”The Board and I have had the great pleasure of already working with Michael for two years as a Trustee, and know that he will bring energy and commitment to this new role. FEMS is at an exciting point of its development, as we continue to embrace a changing future and seek to ensure we are delivering the value that only a federation of microbiology societies can. Michael brings deep understanding of the landscape and its opportunities; as well as a natural gift for chairing meetings which need to ensure all voices are heard. I am looking forward to seeing what the next three years brings under his leadership.”
After his election, Dr Michael Sauer thanked Council with a promise to the FEMS Member Societies that as Chair he would ensure he brought a diversity of views and considerations to the Board:
“I once compared FEMS to a diamond, with many facets, all of them different, some of them on opposite sides. It is exactly those different sides and directions which reveal all the colors in the light. To be trusted with holding that crystal together makes me proud. I would like to see more of those colors shine, and I will put my energy into that.”
Joining the FEMS Board of Trustees
The FEMS Board is also very pleased to welcome its three newly elected Board members, Ivica Dimkić, Célia Manaia and Martyna Glodowska.
Prof. Ivica Dimkić is Full Research Professor and Group Leader of the Microbial Biotechnology Group at the University of Belgrade – Faculty of Biology, Serbia.
Prof. Célia Manaia is Professor of Microbiology at Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Portugal.
Dr Martyna Glodowska is Assistant Professor in Geomicrobiology at Radboud University, Netherlands, and founder of BioXtract.
FEMS extends its sincere thanks to Prof. Antonio Ventosa of the University of Seville, Spain, as he comes to the end of his term as FEMS President. FEMS also extends its gratitude to Prof. Branka Vasiljevic of the University of Belgrade, Serbia, who has served as Secretary-General for six years, and Prof. Paul Cos of the University of Antwerp, Belgium, as they prepare to step down from the FEMS Board of Trustees at the end of 2026.
Looking ahead to 2027
FEMS is deeply grateful to everyone who contributes their time in support of its mission, including all of those who put themselves forward to serve on the FEMS Board. These are exciting times for FEMS, as we build up to FEMS MICRO Ljubljana 2027, and implement our strategy to champion science and deliver impact for the next generation of microbiologists and the scientific communities in our network. FEMS believes in the power of microbiology for bettering the world we live in, and we look forward to delivering on this vision with our next President and the new members of the FEMS Board.