We are very pleased to announce that Mauricio Lazala Leibovich will take over as DFF’s Director from 10 January 2022.  

As Deputy Director and Head of Europe Office at the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC), the leading organisation in the field, Mauricio has played a key role in growing the organisation, setting its direction, managing day-to-day operations, strengthening networks and movements, and working across countries and cultures.

These qualities will allow Mauricio to build on the pilot phase and solidify the great work of DFF in supporting the digital rights field going forward.

These qualities will allow Mauricio to build on the pilot phase and solidify the great work of DFF in supporting the digital rights field going forward.

Until now, part of Mauricio’s mission at BHRRC has been to work with organisations and advocates who use strategic litigation to bring about change.

Prior to joining BHRRC, he worked at the International Criminal Court and for various international NGOs. In 2017 he was appointed member of the Advisory Panel of the Fundamental Rights Platform (FRP) of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA). Mauricio has over 20 years of experience working on local and international human rights issues, as well as a very personal leadership style. 

In Mauricio, the board has found an excellent successor to Nani Jansen Reventlow, who founded DFF in 2017

In Mauricio, the board has found an excellent successor to Nani Jansen Reventlow, who founded DFF in 2017. Together with the current and past team, and the digital rights, human rights and decolonising community, Nani has supported strategic litigation to advance digital rights in Europe and initiated difficult and groundbreaking conversations.

Thanks to Nani’s commitment to field building, DFF has hosted strategic litigation retreats and thematic gatherings across Europe, and instigated a pioneering decolonising project for the digital rights field.

Nani’s passion, perseverance, and vision has made DFF what it is today, and will continue to inspire us as the organisation enters the next phase of its evolution.

Nani will stay with DFF until 31 December 2021, with both Nani and Mauricio currently in the process of facilitating a smooth handover.

We look forward to working closely with Mauricio, the DFF team, and the field to carry forward DFF’s enduring mission.

Fieke Jansen is Chair of the DFF board.