Efstratios (commonly known as Stratos) Chatzixiros is from Athens-Greece, and his educational background is in Nursing Sciences with a specialization in Neurosurgical Intensive Care and a Master’s degree in the field of Transplant Coordination Procurement and Management. (University of Barcelona, Spain).

He worked as a Transplant Coordinator at the National Transplant Organization of Greece for almost 10 years, where he was designated Head of the Coordination and Oversight Department, responsible for the organ allocation system and monitoring the donation/transplantation activity. Among other tasks he was responsible for training health professionals in organ procurement management and contributed to designing awareness campaigns for the general public. He was also designated as the National Representative at the European Commission committee of National Competent Authorities and was subsequently involved in policy development and strategic planning, including the transposition and implementation of the EU directives on Tissues and Cells.

In 2011, he started working abroad as an international expert and in particular, he held various positions in the Italian and French transplantation authorities. He was mainly responsible on international affairs and was actively involved in various European and Global projects, with the objective of enhancing quality and safety through the development of tools for vigilance and surveillance and sharing best practices and recommendations. He was designated as a member of the Council of Europe Committee of Experts on Transplantation (CDPTO) where he participated in projects for strengthening the national systems in the Balkan and Black Sea areas.

As of 2016, he works for the World Health Organization (WHO) Headquarters in Geneva, where he is currently the responsible officer (Adviser) for the Organs, Tissues and Cells Transplantation programme. His duties include monitoring the implementation of relevant Resolutions, developing guidance or standard setting material, and providing country support in establishing a national donation and transplantation system.