Robert Floyd takes office as CTBTO Executive Secretary

Dr Robert Floyd has formally taken office as the new Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO).

An Australian scientist with extensive leadership, management and diplomatic experience, Floyd signed a letter of appointment on in a short ceremony on 2 August at the CTBTO headquarters in Vienna, Austria. The letter was co-signed by Czech Ambassador Ivo Šrámek, the Chair of the CTBTO’s governing Preparatory Commission.

“I am humbled and honoured to lead this organization in such a noble cause,” Floyd said. “I’m deeply respectful of the responsibility bestowed on me, and the magnitude of the task. But I’m not overwhelmed, for two reasons.

“First, so much has already been done. We have 185 states that have signed, 170 that have ratified, 302 monitoring facilities in place, a verification system that works – this is an amazing achievement. We are building on a strong foundation laid by Executive Secretaries before me, each of whom has laboured hard and long for this noble cause. Second, we have an excellent staff who are so competent and so committed to this cause.

“I’m so proud to labour with you all to present a future to a coming generation where nuclear weapon testing is studied in history classes and not in current affairs. Together, let’s finish this task!”

Floyd was previously Director-General of the Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office (ASNO), Australia’s national authority for implementing various treaties to control weapons of mass destruction, whose mandate includes overseeing operation of 23 facilities in the CTBT’s International Monitoring System (IMS) to detect nuclear explosions.

He was elected by States Signatories to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) in May 2021 and began his term on 1 August, succeeding Dr Lassina Zerbo of Burkina Faso.

Floyd is the CTBTO’s fourth Executive Secretary, following Zerbo (2013-2021), Ambassador Tibor Tóth of Hungary (2005-2013) and Dr Wolfgang Hoffmann of Germany (1997-2005).

Read his full CV here.

New CTBTO Executive Secretary Dr Robert Floyd.

New ES Floyd is welcomed by CTBTO staff.

ES Floyd signs appointment letter with the PrepCom Chair, Ambassador Ivo Šrámek.