Leading Change at IIR: Yosr Allouche on a Year of Renewal and Global Cooperation

It has been a very dynamic and rewarding first year. My priority was to build on the strong foundations of the Institute while initiating a transformation to make the IIR more agile, visible, and impactful for the benefits of all.

It is a collaborative work with the management committee of the IIR and the dedicated people at the head office. It has started by reviewing our internal processes, strengthening financial control, strengthening the workforce with additional skills and competences. We have been expanding our spectrum of activities to offer more benefits to our members. We have also been redefining priorities to align with today’s global challenges and the most pressing issues and offer an unbiased and independent scientific responses addressing sustainability, energy efficiency, and innovation in the refrigeration sector.

We also reinforced partnerships with international organisations and key partners, we launched new initiatives to better support our member countries, especially in capacity building and scientific based policy recommendations. Another key action, still under development has been the modernisation of our communication and digital presence to better connect with our global community.

We are building step by step, with clear direction and long-term vision.

The most challenging aspect has been managing change, both internally and externally. The IIR is a historic institution with a remarkable legacy and modernising such an organisation while preserving its identity requires careful balance.

It is also about aligning the expectations of a very diverse membership, from developed to developing countries, from private to corporate members. Members are kindly invited to understand that supporting the IIR means being part of the global refrigeration community, a global platform which goes beyond science. Supporting IIR means actively supporting the sector as a whole, as well as humanity. We want countries, compagnies and people to engage actively with us, there is much to learn from you, and tremendous knowledge that IIR can provide you with, as the trusted scientific voice for refrigeration. We want to work with all of you to advance the sector globally under the best possible conditions. I must say that leading this transition requires not only strategic direction but also strong dialogue and engagement with all our stakeholders.

Ri: Over the past year, we’ve noticed a significant increase in IIR job postings on LinkedIn. Does this reflect a broader transformation within the Institute — for example, expanding projects, new priorities, or strengthening the team — and how do these changes fit into your long-term vision for the IIR?

Absolutely. The recruitment efforts reflect a broader transformation of the IIR. We are strengthening our team to better deliver on our mission and respond to the growing demand for partnerships with IIR. Also reviving few roles which existed long time ago at IIR but disappeared with time as the refrigeration policy department. The IIR is expanding its spectrum of activities in several key areas: evidence-based policy recommendations, scientific based technical assistance, data and knowledge dissemination, new types of publications, and international cooperation projects. Please stay close to IIR to be informed about the new membership packages, to be communicated in 2026.
We are also investing in digital communication and project management capacities to increase our impact and visibility. These changes are part of a long-term vision to make the IIR serving the global communities.

Ri: In your view, what are the main challenges currently facing the Institute and the refrigeration industry as a whole?

For IIR: answered partly in question 2: One of the main challenges facing the Institute is helping people understand the value of international cooperation in refrigeration. The IIR offers a unique opportunity: an intergovernmental organisation that is non-profit, unbiased, independent, and not driven by any political agenda, its mission is guided solely by science. We need both member countries that champion refrigeration and those that rely on it to actively support and engage with the Institute. Although the IIR is already 118 years old, it has the potential to continue thriving for many other decades, or century, not sure, as long as life exist on earth for sure.

For refrigeration industry: From my perspective, is alignment with the fast policy changes and urgent need for climate action. But I remain confident that industry will always innovate and adapt to fast changing regulation. It is not a question of know-how, the expertise exists, and innovative solutions are borning every day, everywhere in the world, the question is about the will to implement change effectively.

Ri: How do you think the work of the IIR should change to meet today’s key priorities – such as sustainability and new technologies?

The IIR must evolve from being primarily a repository of scientific knowledge to becoming an active driver that ensures knowledge is effectively used, translated into innovation, and implemented in decision-making. Scientists should not only speak to other scientist, but their messages also need to reach policymakers, industry leaders, and the wider public. Their voices need to be heard and implemented. At the IIR head office, with the Team here, we create the channels for this and translate the scientific knowledge which could be sometimes complex to understand into actionable insights that can guide decision-making and drive progress in the sector. The IIR needs to reclaim and strengthen the central role it has held for more than a century, act as a bridge between science, policy, and industry, ensuring that scientific information translates into real-world impact. We have developed a full strategy with detailed action plan to strengthen this bridge, making it robust, resilient and effective. We were happy to see Refrigeration Industry Magazine attending our global World Refrigeration Day and I guess that the idea was largely promoted there. By the way you can find some information here about this unique event: Press Release, Official Report, Event Video, Interviews, Photo Album.

Ri: Thank you, Dr. Allouche, for sharing your insights with Refrigeration Industry Magazine!