FIBL Switzerland makes new appointments to management positions

At the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FIBL) in Switzerland, long-time staff members Barbara Früh and Bernadette Oehen have headed the Department of Extension, Education & Communication since the beginning of October. The position became vacant after Robert Obrist left the FIBL at his own request in June. The research institute announced this in a press release.

Früh has been working for FIBL as a researcher and consultant in the field of animal husbandry and feeding since 2002. Most recently as Co-Group Leader Animal Husbandry and Breeding and Deputy Head of Department of Farm Animal Science. She also represents Switzerland at IFOAM Organics and is the feed representative of Bio Suisse.

Bernadette Oehen was head of the FIBL group "Food and Consumption" before she became head of the department. On an interim basis, she still holds the co-leadership for the Department of Socioeconomics, whose overall leadership will be taken over by Jürn Sanders from January 2022.

Sanders has previously worked at FIBL Switzerland for ten years. From 2007 he worked in Germany at the Thünen Institute, advised the German government on agricultural and sustainability policy issues, lectured at Humboldt University Berlin and at the University for Sustainable Development Eberswalde. He is now returning after around eleven years.

"We are particularly proud that we have been able to fill these leadership positions with outstandingly qualified individuals who have extensive experience in national as well as international research and consultancy projects," shares Knut Schmidtke, Director of Research, Extension & Innovation.