IAAC Warmly Welcomes Brahim Houla as the First Elected Chair of Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated and Congratulates Emanuele Riva as Vice Chair.

Bangkok, Thailand – [October 23, 2025] – The Inter-American Accreditation Cooperation (IAAC) is pleased to celebrate a significant milestone in the history of the global quality infrastructure. IAAC extends its most sincere congratulations and a very warm welcome to Eng. Brahim Houla, Director General of the GCC Accreditation Center (GAC), on his election as the inaugural Chair of the Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated. His election marks a pivotal moment, as this cooperation is the new single international organization poised to unify the work of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC).

Eng. Houla’s vast experience and proven dedication to the accreditation community make him the ideal leader to guide this newly established global body. Prior to his new role, Eng. Houla was a recognized person within the IAF and the broader international conformity assessment landscape. He has held important positions, including Chair of the IAF’s Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA) Committee and Chair of the Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (APAC) Capacity Building Committee. Furthermore, his leadership in the GCC Accreditation Center has demonstrated his deep commitment to strengthening regional and international cooperation. This extensive background provides him with a comprehensive understanding of the diverse needs and challenges facing accreditation bodies worldwide, ensuring he will bring a truly global and unified perspective to Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated.

IAAC warmly embraces this new era of global cooperation. The establishment of this new global cooperation, which began its formal incorporation process in late 2024, represents the culmination of years of collaborative effort by the IAF and ILAC, a project often referred to as the ‘One Organization Project.’ This merger is set to create a more efficient, agile, and cohesive global accreditation framework. IAAC is confident that Eng. Houla’s leadership will be instrumental in ensuring a seamless transition and in positioning the global accreditation community to better address modern challenges, from sustainability and digitalization to evolving regulatory and market needs.

A Unified Vision for the Future

The formation of the Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated is a strategic evolution. For decades, the IAF and ILAC have worked in parallel, each managing essential aspects of the global quality infrastructure—IAF focusing on management systems, products, persons, and similar certification/validation/verification schemes, and ILAC concentrating on laboratory, inspection body, proficiency testing, and reference material producer accreditation. The consolidation under Global
Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated aims to foster greater technical convergence and strengthen the visibility and acceptance of accredited conformity assessment worldwide. This unified structure is expected to deliver a stronger, more streamlined framework that supports global trade, enhances quality, and promotes sustainability efforts across all sectors.

In this spirit of renewed international cooperation, IAAC also celebrates the election of the new Vice Chair.

IAAC extends its warm congratulations to Mr. Emanuele Riva of Accredia (Italy) on his election as Vice Chair of Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated. Mr. Riva has been a key driver in the process of unification and has been an instrumental leader in the global accreditation community for many years. His profound commitment to the mission of accreditation was evident during his tenure as Chair of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF), a position he held with distinction from November 2021, leading numerous strategic initiatives, including spearheading the successful establishment of this new global cooperation. His dedicated service and forward-thinking vision were crucial in moving the ‘One Organization’ project from a concept to a reality.

We express our sincere felicitations and best wishes for a successful term, confident that his leadership will continue to strengthen the global accreditation community and foster international cooperation.

IAAC’s Commitment to the Global Community

As one of the five recognized Regional Accreditation Group (RAGs) globally, and the representative body for the Americas, IAAC plays a vital role in integrating the regional accreditation system into the international framework. IAAC is fully committed to supporting Eng. Houla, Mr. Riva, and the entire Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated leadership team. We look forward to continuing our close collaboration, ensuring that the voice and interests of the Americas are strongly represented in this new global body. Our goal remains to facilitate the acceptance of accredited conformity assessment results throughout the Inter-American region, thereby supporting our economies and promoting international trade.

The IAAC membership, which spans North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean, recognizes that strong global leadership is paramount in advancing the multilateral recognition of accreditation. The leadership demonstrated by both Eng. Houla and Mr. Riva, through their previous and current roles, underscores a shared commitment to quality and integrity that will undoubtedly guide Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated toward a highly successful and impactful future.

We anticipate a fruitful partnership with the Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated and look forward to working together to ensure that accreditation continues to play its critical role as the foundation of confidence in global commerce and public assurance.