South African to lead Gates Foundation global health programme
- By Wits University
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announced this week that Dr Trevor Mundel has been named as President of the Foundation’s Global Health Programme.
Mundel, a Wits graduate, is currently the global head of development for Novartis Pharma AG, based in Basel, Switzerland, and will start work at the Foundation on 1 December 2011.
Mundel holds a Bachelor of Science degree, a Bachelor of Science Honours degree and a medical degree from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, proof once again that our universities, and our country produces some of the best leaders in the world. He also studied mathematics, logic and philosophy at Balliol College, University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, and earned his PhD in mathematics at the University of Chicago.
“We are very pleased that Dr Mundel has agreed to lead our global health program,” said Bill Gates, Co-chair of the Foundation. “He brings tremendous scientific and medical credentials, in the laboratory and in the clinic. We look forward to working with him to help improve the health of people in the world’s poorest countries.”
“Dr Mundel is an outstanding choice for our global health work,” said Melinda French Gates, Co-Chair of the Foundation. “He has a passion for science, and has worked for many years with an array of partners to improve health outcomes for people around the world.”
“After a global search, it became clear that Dr Mundel’s deep understanding of the complexities, challenges and opportunities to improve global health made him a prime match for us,” said Jeff Raikes, CEO of the Foundation. “Under his leadership, we will continue to build upon our work with our partners to deliver existing vaccines, drugs and other tools, and to create new ones.”
In his new position, Mundel will lead the Foundation’s efforts to develop and deliver drugs, vaccines, and other tools to fight developing world diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, and take the world closer to the goal of polio eradication. He will oversee the Foundation’s global health grant portfolio, which includes more than USD14.7 billion in grants to date.
“I look forward to joining the staff and grantees of the Gates Foundation in their work to address some of the most difficult and important challenges in global health,” said Mundel. “I am humbled and deeply honoured to join Bill and Melinda in their mission.”
Mundel has been a senior executive and scientist with Novartis since 2003, serving most recently as global head of development. He previously served as global head of immunology and infectious disease, global head of exploratory development, and head of exploratory clinical development. At Novartis, he oversaw some 140 clinical projects, a budget of USD3 billion, and more than 7,500 employees. He is also on the boards of the Genomic Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, and the Novartis Venture Fund.