Turning Vision into Reality – Insights from the EPA Presidents

From Membership to Leadership !

Meet the EPA’s Presidents and discover their vision, their role within the Association and their plans and ideas for its future !

Insight from Geert Dom, Past President of the EPA (2023-2025)

How would you describe your time and experience as President for the EPA?

It was a great honor for me to help the EPA develop during the years of my presidency 2023-2025. This would not have been possible without the great work and support of my predecessor Prof. Peter Falkai who guided EPA through the last difficult COVID-19 years leaving a solid foundation to further build upon. It was a delight and a privilege to work and build and see the association grow in many aspects of its activities.

The collaboration was excellent, an important factor making my presidency a very enjoyable and productive period. In addition, I am also exceptionally proud that we could realize and implement some of the targets we had put forward in the EPA’s long-term plan, such as The European Board Exam of Psychiatry, which proved to be a great success. To sum up my experiences as President of EPA “Together with so many motivated staff and colleagues we worked hard, had a lot of fun and have seen so many projects and the association itself flourish. Could not have been more proud of the EPA”

Which advice would you give to the next Presidents of the EPA?

As a Past President, one should always be very careful when advising your successors. I think and hope that the elements contained in the EPA long-term plan will be helpful to continue to develop the association towards the strategic goals outlined in these visions. But I have no doubt and the fullest confidence that Prof. Andrea Fiorillo, the current EPA President, and Prof. Celso Arango, President-Elect, will have the wisdom and vitality to lead the EPA to a bright future.

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Insight from Andrea Fiorillo, President of the EPA (2025-2027)

How do you envision your role as President of the EPA for the next two years?

I took the role as EPA President with a great sense of responsibility towards everyone who is committed to work for people suffering from mental health problems. As I strongly believe in teamwork, my goal is to involve everyone (Executive Committee, Board, Committees, Sections, National Psychiatric Associations and the Administrative Office) as key actors. I have created six task forces on strategic key areas for mental health, involving different opinion leaders, stakeholders and scientific organizations. If we really want to improve mental health care across Europe, we will have to raise the voice of all those who suffer from mental health problems and their carers and family members.

What are your ideas for the association?

Since mental health is crucial for the general well-being of European citizens, I would like to increase its role and visibility as a scientific discipline reinforcing the collaboration with other medical associations (e.g., European Society of Cardiology, European Association of Neurology, etc.) and other allied professionals working in mental health. I would like to expand the horizons of the association in order to improve care, develop educational materials and preventive approaches in the different countries.

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Insight from Celso Arango, President-Elect of the EPA (2027-2029)

You’ve recently been elected as the future President of the EPA. What inspired you to take on this leadership role? 

What inspired me to take on this leadership role as the future President of the EPA is the strong legacy of success the association has achieved, particularly due to its scientific leadership. I am deeply committed to ensuring that this progress continues, and I plan to collaborate closely with the current President and the EPA Board to maintain this momentum. With psychiatry gaining greater visibility, I see this as a crucial moment to further establish it as a respected medical specialty firmly grounded in science.

My past experience leading scientific societies has prepared me to build upon the EPA’s accomplishments and face new challenges with confidence. I am also motivated by the opportunity to advocate for mental health at both European and national levels, showing policymakers that investment in this field is both necessary and cost-effective. Additionally, I am eager to listen to the voices of young psychiatrists. Ultimately, my inspiration comes from a sincere desire to serve the EPA with energy, dedication, and a clear vision for the future.

How will you plan to build on the work of your predecessors?

 I plan to continue the long-term vision developed by leaders like Philip Gorwood, Peter Falkai, Geert Dom, and Andrea Fiorillo. My approach includes organizing a two-day retreat to set new clear, achievable objectives and key performance indicators to guide our progress. I will prioritize expanding EPA membership, promoting initiatives, and encouraging diverse participation in a scientifically driven EPA Congress.

Strengthening collaboration with international psychiatric societies, including GAMIAN-Europe and EUFAMI (which already sit in our Board), and investing in educational programs like the Leadership Academy will also be central to my efforts. Above all, I am committed to ensuring that our work translates into compassionate, effective clinical practice across Europe.

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Do you wish to also have the opportunity to shape the future of psychiatry ?

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