Rome, 10 January 2002
Count Jacques de Liedekerke took over the office of Chancellor of the Sovereign Order of Malta from Count Carlo Marullo di Condojanni, Prince of Casalnuovo, beginning 1st January 2002.

Count Carlo Marullo di Condojanni has been Grand Chancellor since 1997 and has left office, following his appointment as Roving Ambassador, by decree of 10 October 2001, in charge of Special Affairs and directly reporting to the Grand Master.

Within the government of the Sovereign Order of Malta the Grand Chancellor is both the Home Secretary and the Foreign Secretary. As Home Secretary he is head of the Chancellery and subsidiary offices and is responsible for relations with the Order's national associations. His tasks include: political direction and internal administration and representing the Order. As Foreign Secretary he is responsible for Foreign Affairs, and the diplomatic delegations of the Order depend on him.

Count Jacques de Liedekerke, Knight of Honour and Devotion, is Belgian. A lawyer, he has founded and managed an international legal studio in Brussels and in Anvers.
He became part of the Sovereign Order of Malta in 1985. He has been a member of the Government Council of the Order and represented the Order with the Belgian government.