Director General

The Director General is the chief executive officer and legal representative of the Center with full powers to administer the Center according to instructions given by the Council.

The Director General is elected by the Assembly for a term of four years and may be re-elected for another term. DG's deputies are elected by the Council for a term of three years.

The current Acting Director General of ICPE is Ambassador Mr Jurij Rifelj.

Ambassador Jurij Rifelj has been a career diplomat since 1994. From 2018 to 2022 he served as the Republic of Slovenia Ambassador to Australia and the non-resident Ambassador to Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand and ASEAN.

Before the appointment to the ambassadorial position he served as the Head of Public Relations Service at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia.

From 2011 to 2015 he worked as the head of the Office of the Republic of Slovenia in Palestine.

In 2010 and 2011 he was the Special Coordinator for Afghanistan and in 2009 the Diplomatic Adviser at the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Slovenia.

From 2004 to 2008 he was the Deputy Permanent Representative to the North Atlantic Council (NATO).

Between 1997 and 2002 he worked at the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Washington, DC, where he dealt with political – security and media affairs.

Former ICPE Directors-General

Mr Andrej Logar (2019 - 2021)*

Mr Anand N. Asthana, PhD (2015 - 2019)

Mr Janez Podobnik, MD (2012 - 2015)*

Mr Štefan Bogdan Šalej (2009 - 2012)

Mr Peter Volasko (2008 - 2009)*

Mr Priyadarshi Thakur (2006 - 2008)

Mr Benjamin Lukman, PhD (2002 - 2006)

Mr C.K. Modi (1996 - 2002)

Mr V.K. Dar**

Mr Žiga Vodušek, PhD**

*Acting Director General
** Executive Director