PhDr. Petr Winkler, Ph. D. is the Director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the leading Czech institution for research, implementation, education and clinical care on mental health. He also leads the WHO Collaborating Centre for Public Mental Health Research and Service Development (WHO CC), serves as a senior editor of the scientific journal Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health and is a board member of the non-profit organisation Human Rights in Mental Health-FGIP.

Winkler pursued a PhDr. (doctor of philosophy) degree from Social Work & Social Policy at the Charles University in Prague. He then continued his Ph.D. studies in health service and population research with a specialisation in health economics at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neurosience, King´s College London.

In 2015, Dr. Winkler established the Department of Public Mental Health at the NIMH CZ, which was designated as a WHO CC as of February 2021. Over the past decade, he has played an important role in driving mental health care reform in the Czech Republic. Notably, Dr. Winkler has led three national projects focused on decreasing stigmatization and increasing mental health literacy, early detection and early intervention services for psychosis, and developing an evidence-based framework for mental health care in the Czech Republic. Furthermore. He has co-authored both the National Mental Health Action Plan 2030 and the National Suicide Prevention Plan 2030, which have been officially approved by the Czech government.

Dr. Winkler regularly publishes in high impact scientific journals and provides guidance and mentorship to numerous researchers at various stages of their careers. His professional and research practice focuses mainly on improving the state of mental health care in the Central and Eastern European region. He is also currently leading several projects on psychosocial and mental health support for Ukrainians.