This Friday (31st May, 2019) will mark my final day as your Editor in Chief. I want to express my gratitude to you all for your forbearance, support, challenge and friendship over these past 10 years. Believe me when I say that having the privilege of serving you all has been the highlight of my working life. Life has never been easy, but I have learned such a great deal from you, had experiences I couldn’t have imagined, and found myself stretched (in a good way) every day.
I wish you all, and Cochrane, every success in the coming years, and hope to continue to contribute in different ways. I leave you in the excellent hands of Karla Soares-Weiser who has been a fantastic deputy and will be an even better leader. She will be fully supported by the other members of the Editorial and Methods team, who have all at various times provided me with inspiration, rescued me from danger and have simply been a joy to lead.
I have been lucky to have had the support of some wise and inspiring Co-Chairs, Steering Groups and the Governing Board. I owe particular thanks to Cochrane’s Chief Executive Officers, Nick Royle and Mark Wilson, my colleagues on the Senior Management Team, and the wider Central Executive Teams. I have enjoyed working with the various representative groups across the Editorial and Methods communities, and the new Editorial Board and Scientific Committee. The members of the Cochrane Library Oversight Committee have quietly provided guidance and wise counsel.
I want to finish by repeating my debt to all those of you who toil at Cochrane’s coalface as authors, editors, peer reviewers, information specialists and so on. If Cochrane handed out 200 Chris Silagy prizes every year, it would still not be possible to reward all of those who have earned it. You are the true heart of Cochrane, and I will join your number now with pride.
David Tovey
