New heads appointed for the Anticipation Hub: ready for the next chapter
New heads appointed for the Anticipation Hub: ready for the next chapter
The Anticipation Hub is delighted to announce the appointment of two new heads, Dr Nikolas Scherer and Stefanie Lux. They will lead the Hub together, each taking responsibility for different thematic areas.
Under this new leadership model, Nikolas will focus on policy, partnerships and communications, steering external engagement activities and global advocacy efforts. Stefanie, who already leads the German Red Cross’s work on anticipatory action, will oversee the Hub’s learning, innovation and exchange activities, strengthening its role as a convener and connector for the anticipatory action community. Together, they will set the Hub’s strategic direction and ensure that it continues to deliver on its core roles during challenging times for the humanitarian sector.
Nikolas and Stefanie have both been with the Anticipation Hub from the start, being instrumental in its development into a thriving network of 170 partners. Stefanie has played a central role in shaping the methodology for anticipatory action, advancing new approaches and ensuring that the Hub’s work remains firmly grounded in current practice. She has also been heavily involved in the organization of the dialogue platforms and other exchange formats during this time.
Nikolas has spearheaded the Hub’s policy and advocacy portfolio in recent years, helping to position anticipatory action in high-level events and policy processes. He co-developed the series of global overview reports and co-founded the Linking Risk Financing and Anticipatory Action Working Group.
A conversation with Nikolas and Stefanie
To learn more about their aspirations for the Anticipation Hub, we asked Nikolas and Stefanie a few questions.
Why did you decide on a co-leadership model?
Stefanie: In just over six years, the Anticipation Hub has evolved from an idea into a network of 170 partners that span science, policy and practice. As our impact has grown, so has the complexity of our work – and the portfolio of tasks for the head of the Hub. Managing such a broad set of activities – which include high-level representation, event organization and providing technical advice – is a significant task.
This transition feels natural. Our profiles complement each other well, meaning that we can best meet these needs together. By sharing the position, we can make the best use of our respective strengths and create a leadership structure that is as collaborative as the anticipatory action community itself.
Nikolas: The decision involves more than these strategic advantages. We are both parents to young children, and we know how demanding it is to balance professional life with family life. We believe that leadership should be effective without being exhausting!
This is a position that comes with joy and exciting opportunities, but also a very large workload. Job-sharing is a practical way to address this, allowing us to focus our energy on the Hub while also finding time for our families.
What are your goals for the Anticipation Hub?
Nikolas: My primary goal is to move from advocacy to institutionalization. We have spent years making the case for anticipatory action; now, we need to ensure it is embedded in disaster risk management and humanitarian policies, and well coordinated by governments. Crucially, it needs to be backed by sufficient financing. I want to ensure the Hub supports efforts to turn high-level political commitments into sustainable, long-term support for anticipatory action.
Stefanie: This community of anticipatory action practitioners and friends has achieved amazing things in the past ten years. We went from an idea to an established humanitarian method that is now being implemented in more than 70 countries. But we still face challenges; sometimes triggers don’t work as they should, at other times the actions don’t reach those most at risk in time. On the other hand, innovations and new tools that we can use in our work are continuously coming up.
I firmly believe that joint learning and frank exchanges will move us forward – and I think the Hub is the perfect platform for this, via its working groups, thematic exchanges and of course the dialogue platforms.
What are you most looking forward to?
Nikolas: I am particularly looking forward to finalizing our new strategy, which will establish how to make the Anticipation Hub future-proof. Our goal is to sharpen our profile and ensure our services remain highly relevant to our partners, especially during a time of major funding cuts. Most importantly, I want to use this process [of developing a new strategy] to engage our partners more deeply and foster a collaborative space where they are better able to shape the future direction of the Hub.
Stefanie: I am very much looking forward to the global dialogue platforms. These are not just events; they are the heart and origin of our community. A space for honest conversations and personal connections is more needed than ever to drive the anticipatory action agenda forward. We are operating in an era of significantly reduced funding, and it will be challenging but also exciting to rethink what the dialogue platforms can be.