Jane Heffner has been elected president and vice president of the International Federation of Robotics (Frankfurt, Germany), a non-profit organization that promotes and represents the robotics industry globally. The election results were announced in an IFR press release on July 2.

Heffner currently serves as global vice president of channel communication at Teradyne Robotics (North Reading, MA). With more than 20 years leadership experience in robotics, automation, automotive, and aerospace, Heffner will continue in her role at Teradyne while she serves as president of IFR. 

Heffner succeeds outgoing president Takayuki Ito of Fanuc Corporation, who was elected in 2024.

"I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Takayuki Ito for his outstanding leadership and dedication," Heffner said in a statement following her election. "The global robotics industry is at an important inflection point, driven by rapid advancements in artificial intelligence and automation. We will continue to build on the excellent work that Takayuki has done as ambassador of the global robotics industry." 

The IFR is focused on a number of goals and initiatives for the robotics industry, according to the IFR website. Goals include accelerating global adoption, advancing AI-driven automation, promoting safe and responsible deployment, supporting sustainability, and helping to address labor shortages across industries. Through initiatives ranging from robotics market research and international collaboration to diversity programs and standards development, the IFR is working to achieve those goals, according to the website.