The International Labour Organization is preparing to bring its leadership selection process into the public spotlight as candidates for the organization’s next Director-General present their visions and engage with representatives of the global labour community.

A public interactive event in Geneva will feature all three candidates competing for the position. The event is part of the formal process through which the ILO will select the person who will lead the organization after the current Director-General’s term ends.

Three Candidates Set to Present Their Visions

The candidates are Gilbert F. Houngbo of Togo, Yolanda Díaz Pérez of Spain and Javier González-Olaechea Franco of Peru.

Each candidate will have an opportunity to explain their priorities and vision for the future of the organization while responding to questions and engaging with representatives of the ILO’s tripartite constituents.

The public event will be livestreamed, allowing audiences beyond the ILO’s traditional diplomatic and institutional circles to follow the presentations.

Leadership Transition Already Underway

The process is taking place well ahead of the end of the current Director-General’s term.

Gilbert F. Houngbo has served as ILO Director-General since 2022. His current term is scheduled to conclude on September 30, 2027.

The next Director-General will begin a five-year term on October 1, 2027.

This timetable means the organization is conducting the selection process considerably in advance, giving member governments and the ILO’s governing structures time to complete the various stages of the appointment procedure.

Public Discussion Adds Transparency

The interactive event represents an opportunity for the candidates to communicate their priorities directly to a wider audience.

The ILO operates through a unique tripartite structure involving governments, employers and workers. Because of this structure, leadership decisions can have implications across a wide range of labour-policy areas.

Public presentations allow the candidates to outline how they would approach issues affecting workers, businesses and governments around the world.

The Future of Work Is Changing

The next ILO leader will take charge at a time when the nature of employment is rapidly evolving.

Artificial intelligence, digital platforms, automation, climate-related economic transitions and changing business models are creating new questions about employment and labour protections.

The ILO has already placed the future of platform work and technological transformation prominently on its international agenda. Its engagement during the UN General Assembly includes discussions on the recently adopted international labour standard concerning decent work in the platform economy.

Workers and Technology

One of the major challenges for international labour policy is balancing technological innovation with workers’ rights.

Digital platforms have created new ways for people to earn income, but they have also raised questions involving employment status, pay, social protection and working conditions.

The ILO’s new Convention concerning decent work in the platform economy provides an international framework for addressing some of these issues.

The next Director-General will therefore inherit an organization dealing with an increasingly technology-driven labour market.

Economic Transformation Also Matters

The global economy is undergoing broader structural changes beyond digitalization.

Countries are responding to climate change, shifting industrial patterns, demographic changes and evolving international trade relationships.

These developments can create new employment opportunities while also putting pressure on workers and industries that depend on older economic models.

The ILO has emphasized the importance of ensuring that economic transformation results in decent employment, social protection and productive opportunities.

Social Dialogue Remains Central

The organization’s tripartite model means that dialogue among governments, employers and workers remains a central part of its work.

The next Director-General will therefore face the task of maintaining cooperation among groups that can have different priorities on wages, working conditions, business regulation and employment policy.

Finding common ground will be particularly important as labour markets respond to technological and economic change.

Election Process Continues

The public interactive event is only one stage of the appointment process.

Following the public presentations, candidates are scheduled to participate in private hearings before the ILO Governing Body in November.

The election will then take place through a secret ballot on November 16, with the result announced after the vote.

The successful candidate will eventually assume office in October 2027.

Global Significance of the Leadership Change

The ILO plays a central role in developing international labour standards and promoting decent work.

Its work covers issues ranging from wages and workplace safety to employment policy, social protection, labour rights and the future of work.

A leadership transition therefore comes at an important time for countries dealing with rapidly changing employment systems.

What the Event Could Highlight

The candidates’ presentations are expected to provide insight into how each would approach the organization’s future priorities.

Issues such as artificial intelligence, platform employment, workers’ financial security, social protection, skills development, climate-related transitions and international labour standards are likely to remain important areas of discussion.

The public format gives workers, employers, governments and other observers an opportunity to hear directly from the candidates before the later stages of the selection process.