The European Livestock and Meat Trades Union (UECBV) announces that Dr. Karsten Maier will step down as Secretary General after six years of dedicated service, as he enters retirement.

The UECBV Board, Steering Committee, and member organisations extend their sincere thanks to Dr. Maier for his strong leadership and valuable contributions to the European meat, livestock and trade sectors. His commitment to the industry has been instrumental in promoting the sector's interests at the EU and international levels. We wish him all the best in his future personal endeavours.

UECBV is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Zeev Noga as its new Secretary General, effective 4 August 2025.

Dr. Noga is already well known within UECBV, having served as Veterinary Advisor from 2008 to 2012. During that time, he focused on critical areas, including animal health, animal welfare, and food safety. Zeev possesses a deep understanding of the sector, and has extensive experience in leading international multistakeholder secretariats, which will be key in guiding the UECBV's ongoing mission and goals. This marks an exciting new chapter for the organisation. UECBV looks forward to working closely with its members, partners, and EU institutions to continue advancing the European meat, livestock, and trade sectors.

Dr Zeev Noga is a global veterinary policy leader with over 18 years of experience in veterinary policy development at European and international levels. Between 2023 and 2025, Zeev served as the Secretary General of PREZODE, a global One Health initiative that aims to prevent, reduce and tackle zoonotic diseases through research, advocacy, and international collaboration. Between 2012 and 2023, he held various positions at the World Veterinary Association (WVA), including that of Executive Director. During his tenure, he actively worked towards addressing numerous veterinary issues, with a particular focus on fostering international collaboration to strengthen the veterinary profession globally. Additionally, he played a crucial role in promoting animal health, animal welfare, and public health worldwide under the One Health concept and approach. From 2008 to 2012, he served as a Veterinary Advisor at the European Livestock and Meat Trade Union (UECVB). His primary focus was on EU veterinary legislation and policies related to animal health, animal welfare, and public health. Zeev graduated from the Veterinary Faculty of Milan, Italy.