Structure and Resources

WNU programmes are run from the WNU Coordinating Centre in London under the leadership of a Board-appointed President.  The WNU President is Amb. John Ritch, WNA Director General, whose WNU work is a pro bono industry contribution to the WNU partnership. 

Fundamental to the WNU partnership is the staffing of the WNUCC through the assignment by governments and leading companies of internationally experienced nuclear professionals.  These experts fulfil a multiple purpose, by:

• Expressing a strong national commitment to the WNU’s mission
• Empowering the WNUCC with high quality cost-free staff resources
• Facilitating WNU interaction with major national nuclear establishments.

As of the spring of 2008, the following nations had seconded staff to the WNUCC: USA, France, Russia, South Korea and Canada.  Secondment commitments have been received from India and the UK, and discussions are under way with governments and leading nuclear enterprises in Japan and China.  An attractive concept, unfulfilled, is the placement on the WNUCC secretariat of regionally-supported representatives from Latin American and Africa.

The WNU Board is chaired by Dr Zack Pate, WANO’s Chairman-Emeritus, a leader widely respected for his pioneering work at the U.S. Institute of Nuclear Power Operations and as a co-founder of WANO, the global nuclear safety organization. 

During its start-up phase, WNU operations have relied on assigned cost-free staff and are designed to be largely self-financing.  A key exception is financial support for certain WNU activities from the IAEA Technical Cooperation Fund, which has enabled strong participation from developing nations.

In a second stage, it is envisaged that the WNU agenda will expand to include an even more ambitious slate of programmes, to include the management of a major scholarship endowment financed by philanthropic contributions.  

A WNU Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor provide leadership in specific WNU programmes and in building public support for the WNU agenda.  The WNU’s Chancellor is Dr Hans Blix, the IAEA’s Director General-Emeritus, who headed that UN agency for 16 years and later served as chief of the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission.  The Vice-Chancellor is Dr Robert Hawley, former Chief Executive of British Energy.