cOAlition S has announced that Robert Kiley, its Head of Strategy, will conclude his role on 1 June 2025. Kiley, who has played a central role in shaping cOAlition S’s strategic direction and advancing open access policies, will be exploring new opportunities to continue contributing to the scholarly publishing community.
Kiley joined cOAlition S at its inception in 2018, initially as interim Coordinator, seconded by Wellcome, before assuming the role of Head of Strategy in 2021. Over his seven-year tenure, he has been integral in establishing the coalition’s operational framework and securing over €5 million in funding over five years. Kiley was instrumental in encouraging research funders, including the Gates Foundation, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and the World Health Organisation, to develop open access policies aligned with Plan S.
His work focused on promoting research accessibility, fairness, and equity. Notably, he led the Transformative Journal programme, supported the Rights Retention Strategy, and co-chaired the Beyond Article-Based Charges Working Group, which developed the “How Equitable Is It?” assessment tool. Recently, he has contributed to the coalition’s next-phase strategy, exploring how funders can support more equitable and innovative publishing models.
Reflecting on his tenure, Kiley stated, “It has been a privilege and great fun working with a group of funding organisations who are truly committed to implementing full and immediate Open Access. While there is still a lot to do to achieve Open Access, together we have made significant progress, and I am confident that this will continue.”
Mari Sundli Tveit, Chief Executive of the Research Council of Norway and Chair of the cOAlition S Leaders Group, expressed appreciation for Kiley’s contributions, noting his unwavering commitment and valuable expertise shared over the past seven years. She conveyed best wishes for his future endeavors.
After Kiley’s departure, the Strategy and Implementation Group of cOAlition S, established in January 2025, will oversee the coalition’s strategy and ongoing initiatives to advance open access publishing. Kiley commented that the group’s collaborative approach will bring new perspectives and momentum to the coalition’s work.
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