Brussels, 27 May 2026 — The European Heart Network (EHN) has elected Hans Snijder, Chief Executive Officer of the Dutch Heart Foundation, as its new President, marking a new chapter for the organisation and its work on cardiovascular health across Europe. His appointment was officially confirmed during the EHN Annual General Assembly.
Hans Snijder succeeds Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive Officer of the British Heart Foundation – the UK’s largest independent funder of cardiovascular research and one of the country’s leading charitable organisations – who has served as EHN President for the past four years.
Her mandate marked important years for both the network and cardiovascular health in Europe. During this period, EHN saw steadily growing membership, contributed to the adoption of the EU Safe Hearts Plan, and supported increasingly ambitious and inclusive initiatives in cardiovascular health promotion and cardiovascular disease prevention, reflecting the scale and urgency of the cardiovascular burden across Europe.
Under her leadership, EHN further strengthened its role as a united European voice for cardiovascular health, bringing together heart foundations and patient organisations to advance prevention, advocacy, research, and health equity across the continent.
Charmaine expressed gratitude and optimism for the future:
It is a privilege to stand alongside so many dedicated people who bring passion, expertise and determination to the fight for better heart health. As I pass the Presidency to Hans Snijder, I leave this role with deep gratitude for our community, and no doubt of the urgency of what must come next as EHN presses for implementation of the Safe Hearts Plan across Europe. The time for commitment has passed; now we must deliver progress for patients at a time when it has never been more needed.
Looking ahead to the future leadership of the network, Hans Snijder takes over the Presidency while leading a national organisation that has experienced tremendous growth in recent years, including the merger with patient organisation Harteraad, which effectively made the Dutch Heart Foundation the leading national heart foundation and patient organisation in the Netherlands.
The organisation has also been one of the main driving forces behind the development of the Dutch Cardiovascular Agenda, developed together with partners across the cardiovascular field. The roadmap identifies the seven most important challenges for the next ten years aimed at reducing the number of people living with cardiovascular disease.
What does the future look like for the European Heart Network? According to Hans Snijder, the priority will be to strengthen Europe’s focus on prevention and ensure that cardiovascular health is addressed long before people become patients. Key priorities will include smoke-free environments, healthier nutrition, earlier detection of risk factors, better access to healthcare, and stronger action to reduce health inequalities between different population groups and countries across Europe.
Hans stated:
The greatest gains will not come only from better treatments, but from preventing people from becoming patients in the first place. Cardiovascular health must become a top European priority — not only within healthcare systems, but across society as a whole.
Describing the appointment as both “a great honour and a great responsibility”, Hans expressed his ambition for every European country to develop national action plans for cardiovascular health, with the European Heart Network playing a central role in driving this process forward, guided by the EU Safe Hearts Plan.
Birgit Beger, CEO of the European Heart Network, concluded:
I would like to warmly thank Charmaine Griffiths for her inspiring leadership and dedication over the past years and congratulate Hans Snijder on becoming President. I wish him every success as he takes forward this important work at a historic moment for cardiovascular health, the European Safe Hearts Plan and health equity across Europe.
For media enquiries:Alessandra BoschiAdvocacy and Communication Coordinatoraboschi@ehnheart.org