Maria Antonieta Alcalde Castro has assumed the role of director-general at the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), succeeding Alvaro Bermejo as head of one of the world’s largest sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) organisations.

Maria Antonieta, who began her four-year term on March 1, brings more than three decades of SRHR leadership experience to the role. She started her career as a youth activist and has since worked on feminist, rights-based approaches across Latin America and the Caribbean, according to the federation.

She has extensive experience in intergovernmental processes and United Nations negotiations, along with a strong record in policy advocacy, partnership-building and cross-regional movement strengthening. Connecting grassroots activism with global policy influence is one of her key commitments.

Her appointment follows a rigorous global search conducted by executive search firm Perrett Laver. The IPPF board of trustees selected her unanimously from a highly competitive field of candidates.

Alvaro Bermejo, who led the federation since 2018, oversaw a period of organisational transformation that strengthened governance and expanded partnerships. His tenure was marked by efforts to make the London-based federation more resilient and strategically positioned, the organisation said.

Maria Antonieta takes over at a critical time for the global SRHR movement including funding volatility, shrinking civic space and increasing ideological opposition to the movement. The federation described her leadership priorities as strengthening south-led and feminist approaches across its regional structure, expanding alliances and enhancing policy influence in global health and development.

As Maria Antonieta takes the director-general position, IPPF reaffirms its commitment to advancing sexual and reproductive health, rights and justice for all — particularly women, girls, young people, and marginalised communities.