At its 2014 international conference and annual meeting in Manila in late November, the International Rubber Research and Development Board (IRRDB) elected Dr. James Jacob, director of research at the Rubber Research Institute of India (the research department operated by India’s Rubber Board), its chairman for a two-year period. Dr. Jacob has been IRRDB vice-chairman for the past five years, and previously served as liaison officer of the IRRDB’s Physiology Specialist Group.