Biography

Effective 31 March 2025, Niamh Lawless is Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. In this role, Niamh oversees Human Resources; Operations & Procurement; and Ethics, Risk & Compliance. Her leadership is key in strengthening Gavi’s ability to deliver on its mission of ensuring equitable access to life-saving vaccines.

With more than 30 years’ experience in the international not-for-profit, public and private sectors, and a long history of senior leadership positions, Niamh brings to Gavi extensive experience in operations and organisational transformation, and a strong people-centred approach.

Prior to joining Gavi, Niamh was Under Secretary General for Management Policy, Strategy and Corporate Services of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the world’s largest humanitarian network. Previously, she served as Secretary General of the New Zealand Red Cross (NZRC), where she launched a new strategic plan that outlined the roadmap for the future of the NZRC.

A Chartered Accountant by profession, Niamh began her career as an auditor at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in Ireland and has worked in finance in various companies and in the public sector, including with Irish Aid. Thereafter, she spent 12 years in senior finance and corporate services roles at Barnardos, where she ultimately advanced to Deputy Chief Executive. Prior to her role as Secretary General of the NZRC, Niamh was Chief Executive of Scouts New Zealand.