Francis Zachariae

Francis Zachariae began the work as Secretary-General of the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities in February 2015 and was elected Secretary-General of the International Organization for Marine Aids to Navigation (IALA) in February 2025 after the change of status to an Intergovernmental Organization.

After leaving high school Francis Zachariae joined the Royal Danish Naval Academy, followed in 1983 by service aboard several naval ships. From 1988 to 1990 he was Aide-de-camp to the Minister of Defence. Francis Zachariae went back to sea in 1990. At the same time as he was working with the Danish Ministry of Defence, Francis Zachariae completed a Master of Science, Public Administration, following which he was promoted to Captain (N) and appointed to Brussels to become Branch Chief and Advisor of the EU Council Secretariat. This was his second experience abroad. From 1993-1994 Francis Zachariae had attended the Collège Interarmées de Défense in Paris, France. In 2006 he was back at the Naval Academy, this time as Commandant. From 2007 he was the Deputy Director General of the Danish Maritime Safety Administration and in 2011 the Deputy Director General of the Danish Maritime Authority. His main tasks were related to maritime regulation, safety of navigation and pilotage in the Danish, Greenland and Faroese waters.

Francis Zachariae is residing in Paris, France where he lives with his wife Jane. They have two grown up sons.