The International Institute of Space Law (IISL), created in 1960 by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) and recently established as an independent international Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) under Dutch law in the Netherlands, is pleased to announce that as of 1 January 2008, Mrs Tanja Masson-Zwaan, who held the position of Secretary of IISL since 1991, has taken over the Presidency of the IISL from Dr Nandasiri Jasentuliyana.

Dr Jasentuliyana, a citizen of Sri Lanka, was formerly Deputy Director-General with the UN Office at Vienna and the former Director of the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs (OOSA). He was elected as President of the IISL in 1993, succeeding the late Judge Manfred Lachs. Dr Jasentuliyana has been nominated President-Emeritus by the IISL Board in recognition of his longstanding contributions to the establishment of IISL as the leading international authority on matters of space law.

Mrs Masson-Zwaan, a Dutch citizen, holds a Masters degree in public international law of Leiden University in the Netherlands. She was Co-Director of the International Institute of Air and Space Law (IIASL) at Leiden University from 1985-1990, where she was recently appointed as Member of the International Advisory Board under the Chairmanship of Prof. Laurens Jan Brinkhorst.

Later, she inter-alia worked for the aerospace insurance and consulting company Aon Explorer in France, and then created Adastra Consulting, working as an independent consultant on various projects in the fields of air and space law.

Within IISL, Mrs Masson-Zwaan has been responsible as Secretary for the organisation of the annual Colloquia on the Law of Outer Space held in conjunction with the International Astronautical Congress, a variety of regional conferences and other meetings. She also organised the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition and the representation of the IISL at international forums.

Mrs Masson-Zwaan will be succeeded as Secretary by Mrs Corinne C. Jorgenson of the United States/France.