International Fund Board Appoints Former Prime Minister of Moldova as Newest Board Member

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The International Fund is delighted to welcome Natalia Gavrilița to its Board. Responsible for setting the Fund's strategy and ensuring delivery against its mission, the Board comprises leading experts from across media, civil society, multilateralism, and academia.

As the former Prime Minister of Moldova (2021- 2023), Ms Gavrilița led the government through complex crises caused by the war in neighbouring Ukraine. During her tenure, she advanced ambitious anti-corruption, economic, and governance reforms in the country. She is currently the co-founder and director of the Chișinău-based Partnership for the New Economy, an organization focused on economic policies and the European integration of the Republic of Moldova, as well as a member of several boards and expert councils.

Ms Gavrilița was recently a research fellow at the Robert Bosch Academy in Berlin, where her research focused on the resilience of civil society, particularly against systematic media warfare as a threat to European societies, and on the need for independent media and a robust information space to support democratic resilience. She also brings extensive experience in development economics, having previously served as Finance Minister in Moldova, and as Managing Director at the Global Innovation Fund, a hybrid investment fund supporting social innovation in developing countries.

“Public interest media stands on the frontline of defending the democratic values, rooted in the belief that everyindividual has the right to dignity, truth, and the ability to make informed choices about their own lives,” said Natalia Gavrilița on her appointment to the IFPIM Board. “I am delighted to join this board, as safeguarding independent journalism is one of the most direct ways to build resilience against coordinated disinformation campaigns that exploit trust and profit from outrage.”

The International Fund’s CEO, Nishant Lalwani, welcomed the appointment. “We are honoured that Natalia has agreed to join our Board, particularly as we continue to grow our work to media organisations in Eastern Europe,” he said. “We look forward to the first hand expertise and insights Natalia will bring based on her experience in countering disinformation and foreign interference. She has a deep understanding of the vital role independent media plays in information security”.

Natalia Gavrilița’s appointment to the Board was confirmed following a vote by the Members of the International Fund’s Council at their annual meeting on 18 June. Ms Gavrilița will serve on theBoard for a term of three years starting on 19 June, 2026.

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