The World Health Organization (WHO) has revamped its senior management structure. The revamp, includes the creation of new positions and divisions which will help WHO achieve its triple billion targets in its new five-year strategic plan.

Zsuzsanna Jakab, currently regional director at WHO in Europe, will be the new deputy director-general. Soumya Swaminathan and Jane Ellison, who currently serve as deputy director-generals, will be taking on new positions. Swaminathan will be chief scientist, heading the new chief scientist division created to strengthen WHO’s core scientific work and ensure the quality and consistency of WHO’s norms and standards. Ellison will now be executive director for external relations and governance.

WHO’s new corporate structure is based on four pillars which will be mirrored throughout the organization. The Programmes pillar will support WHO’s work on universal health coverage and healthier populations. The Emergencies pillar will be responsible for WHO’s critical health security responsibilities, both in responding to health crises and helping countries prepare for them. The External Relations and Governance pillar will centralize and harmonize WHO’s work on resource mobilization, communications. The Business Operations pillar will likewise ensure more professionalized delivery of key corporate functions such as budgeting, finance, human resources and supply chain.