The Pandemic Fund

Dr Anban Pillay is the Deputy Director General responsible for Health Regulation and Compliance at the National Department of Health in South Africa. He has served in various roles at the National Department of Health over the past 20 years. These include development of pharmaceutical policies on medicine registration, treatment guidelines, medicine formularies, procurement and service delivery strategies. He has also been instrumental in the developmental of the Universal Health Coverage (National Health Insurance) policy and legislative development in South Africa.

He has also served on a number of Global Bodies including the World Health Organization (Co-Chair Essential Medicines Committee, Advisory Committee on Medicine Pricing), Medicines Patent Pool (Board member), Global Fund (Market Dynamics Advisory group), UNICEF (Procurement advisory group) and  Health Action International (Advisory Committee).

He played a central role in South Africa’s COVID response – particularly in the initial period when very little was known about the virus and its spread, disease presentation, health system readiness or availability of vaccines, PPE etc. He also co-chaired the ACT Accelerator which was a WHO mechanism to foster collaboration and accelerate development, production, and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines.

Dr Anban Pillay holds a Bachelor of Pharmacy (University of Kwazulu Natal, South Africa), Masters in Clinical Pharmacology (Nelson Mandela School of Medicine, South Africa) and PhD (University of Newcastle, Australia). He is extensively published in peer reviewed journals and book chapters.

Erika Placella received her Master degree in History of Medicine at the University of Geneva. She completed her education with a specialization in Public Health and various additional trainings, including at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and ICRC/WHO.

Erika Placella has over 22 years of experience in public health and global health. She is currently the Head of Health at the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

Before joining the SDC, Ms Placella worked for various medical and public health organisations in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, in the field of zoonoses, sexual, reproductive and child health, food security/safety and NCDs (including mental health). 

Ms Placella has a thorough understanding and knowledge of health trends, health reforms, health systems and related challenges, with a focus on primary healthcare and prevention and control of major NCDs, in Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Ms Placella leads the development of health at SDC, as well as global initiatives aiming at contributing to major health challenges, including global health governance issues. 

Ms Placella also provides health policy and policy influencing guidance and contributes to positioning the SDC/Switzerland in global health debates. 

The MFAT division that Deb leads covers New Zealand’s engagement with, and funding to, multilateral development organisations, New Zealand’s international humanitarian policy and action, and international development and humanitarian partnerships with New Zealand NGOs.  Her previous roles with the Ministry include Deputy Director of both Humanitarian and Pacific Regional programmes. Prior to joining MFAT, Deb was a manager at the Office of Treaty Settlements in the Ministry of Justice with responsibility for leading policy and negotiations on the settlement of historical claims under the Treaty of Waitangi. She has also been a policy officer with the National Council for Voluntary Organisations in the United Kingdom. 

Marie-Louise Koch Wegter took up her position as Director for Multilateral Cooperation in the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 1 August 2023. Ambassador Wegter has worked in a range of leading positions in the Danish foreign service, most recently as
- Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York from 2019 to 2023,
- Deputy Head of the Department for Humanitarian Action, Migration and Civil Society from 2016 to 2019,
- Deputy Permanent Representative of Denmark to the United Nations in Geneva from 2012 to 2016,
- Head of Secretariat for the Global Green Growth Forum from 2009 to 2011
- Deputy Head of the Department for Middle East and North Africa from 2007 to 2009.

From 2009 to 2011, she served as Senior Analyst in the Danish Institute for International Studies.

Mrs. Wegter has an International MBA from Copenhagen Business School.

Sarah Gradl has been involved in crisis management in the Austrian Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection since the early stage of the SARS-CoV-2-pandemic in 2020. Since November 2023, she serves as Head of Department for Crisis Prevention and Crisis Management in the division Public Health and Health Care System. 

Ms Gradl has an academic background in Public Health and is specialized in health crisis management. She is trained in preparedness and crisis managmeent, contact tracing, detection & assessment of health threats and has expertise in a range of other public health topics (e.g. vaccination, drug shortages, health promotion and prevention, health technology assessment etc.)

Director of Human Capital, Youth and Skills Development

Dinesh Arora is a passionate health expert with over 20 years of experience leading transformational public sector projects in South Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. 

With a medical background and specialization in public health and economics, he has dedicated his career to researching, implementing, and advocating for evidence- based strategies to address pressing public health challenges. 

As a physician, public health practitioner, and administrator, his profound commitment to public health is evidenced by his vast experience designing and implementing public health interventions across all levels of governance. 

At ADB, Dinesh handles a bank-wide diverse portfolio, which includes knowledge work and transformational projects on human resources for health management, health sector assessments, pandemic preparedness, adult vaccination, Vaccine Therapeutics and Diagnostics Manufacturing and Regulatory Strengthening, Early Childhood Development Projects, and ‘One Health’ projects. 

He is doing seminal work on Climate and health, including evolving the principles of Climate and Health interaction, endorsed by India’s G20 presidency. 

Dinesh is a Chevening scholar with a master’s degree in Economics, besides being a physician. 

He is currently pursuing doctoral studies in health policy from Johns Hopkins University (JHU) as a Dean Scholar after completing a Master’s in Public Health from JHU as a Sommer scholar in 2020. 

Salvado manages the Operational Partnership Department, which administers AIIB’s Special Funds resources. He also manages AIIB’s engagement with global and regional coordination mechanisms and partners to build relationships and mobilize additional resources for the Bank’s investment operations. Before joining AIIB in August 2022, he was Deputy Director, International Development Finance for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he was in charge of building strategic partnerships and setting up innovative financing mechanisms to mobilize public and private resources toward the Sustainable Development Goals. Previously, he worked for the African Development Bank Group where he was in charge of the Performance Based Allocation System of the African Development Fund and the coordination of the Annual Country Policy and Institutional Assessment. He also worked as a policy analyst for the Center for International Development at Harvard University and as a senior financial officer at the Central American Bank for Economic Integration in Honduras. Rodrigo holds a master’s degree in public administration in International Development from Harvard Kennedy School of Government, a master’s degree in economics from the Centro de Estudios Monetarios y Financieros in Madrid, and a bachelor’s degree of Science in Economics from the Universidad Torcuato Di Tella in Argentina. He is from Italy and Argentina.

COMING SOON!

Pablo Ibarrarán es Jefe de la División de Protección Social y Salud del Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo. Ciudadano mexicano, el señor Ibarrarán posee un Doctorado en Economía de la Universidad de California Berkeley y una Licenciatura en Economía de CIDE en México.  Ingresó al Banco en 2005 como un Economista en Evaluación en la oficina de Evaluación y Supervisión y trabajó también como Especialista Líder en Economía en la oficina de Planificación Estratégica y Eficacia del Desarrollo. Ha trabajado en el diseño, implementación y evaluación en el área de programas redistributivos y de inclusión social, así como en la agenda de envejecimiento. También ha participado en la preparación y evaluación de programas de salud.

Previamente, Pablo trabajó en la Secretaría de Hacienda y Crédito Público en su país después de obtener su título en Economía en el Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (CIDE) en 1998. En 2004 obtuvo su doctorado en Economía en la Universidad de California, Berkeley, y desde 2009 es investigador asociado en el Instituto del Trabajo (IZA) en Bonn, Alemania.

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Pablo Ibarrarán is Head of the Social Protection and Health Division of the Inter-American Development Bank. A Mexican citizen, Mr. Ibarrarán holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of California Berkeley and a bachelor’s degree in Economics from CIDE in Mexico. He joined the Bank in 2005 as an Evaluation Economist in the Office of Evaluation and Oversight and also worked as Lead Economics Specialist in the Office of Strategic Planning and Development Effectiveness. He has worked in the design, implementation, and evaluation in the area of ​​redistributive and social inclusion programs, as well as in the aging agenda. He has also participated in the preparation and evaluation of health programs.

Previously, Pablo worked at the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit in his country after obtaining his degree in Economics from the Center for Economic Research and Teaching (CIDE) in 1998. In 2004 he obtained his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley, and since 2009 he is a research associate at the Institute of Labor (IZA) in Bonn, Germany.

Katrin Taylor, One Health Strategic Programming and Partnerships Officer, FAO, supports programme design and growth for FAO’s One Health Priority Programme Area as part of its new Strategic Framework (2022-31), as well as for the Quadripartite (FAO, UNEP, WHO, and WOAH) One Health Joint Plan of Action. 

She coordinates and engages a wide variety of FAO’s partners, strategizing entry points and joint interests to advance One Health in support of Member countries’ priorities. 

Her portfolio includes setting up key funding mechanisms, including as an example, the Quadripartite AMR Multi-partner Trust Fund. 

In view of leveraging sustainable financing, she is engaged in a study on the Return of Investment for One Health and pilots for national One Health investment planning. 

Acting as FAO Pandemic Fund Coordination focal point, she has been involved in setting up a network of support alongside technical colleagues to ensure FAO’s strong engagement in the Fund. 

She draws from varied achievements over 20 years, including with FAO, Non- Governmental Organizations and governments- in countries of the South and North - developing strategy and match-making partnerships with traditional and emerging partners, including International Financial Institutions, South and Triangular Cooperation, and the Private Sector.

Dr. Douglas Noble (BSc, BMBCh, MRCS, MPH, MD(Res), FRSPH, FFPH) is the Associate Director for Public Health Emergencies Preparedness and Response for UNICEF. As the global lead for public health emergencies in UNICEF he is driven by a desire to ensure that girls and boys, families and communities are prepared and protected during public health emergencies. 

Dr. Noble first joined UNICEF in 2013 as the Regional Health Adviser for South Asia based in Kathmandu, Nepal.  He later joined UNICEF China as the Deputy Representative from 2017 - 2023. 

He has also previously worked in the UK National Health Service, Department of Health and Health Protection Agency, with the World Health Organization, and was a Harkness Fellow with the Commonwealth Fund. He has an honorary academic affiliation with the University of Oxford. 

Dr. Noble studied science at the University of St. Andrews and medicine at Oxford University. He has a master’s degree and research doctorate in public health from Johns Hopkins and Queen Mary University of London, respectively. He is a British national. 

Scott Douglas PENDERGAST is the Director for Strategic Planning and Partnerships of the Health Emergencies Programme at the World Health Organization (WHO).

Currently responsible for the overall strategy, programme delivery and strategic partner engagement for global health emergencies and humanitarian crises. He leads the overall strategy and policy to strengthening the global architecture for Health Emergency Preparedness, Response and Resilience. He is also the WHO focal point for the Pandemic Fund, for the establishment of the interim coordination on medical countermeasures (MCM), and for the Global Health Emergency Corps (GHEC).

Magnus Lindelow is the Global Program Lead for Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response and Public Health at World Bank. In this capacity, he oversees a team in the global unit and is the corporate focal point on the PPR and public health agenda for the Bank. He also leads the Bank's Flagship Training Program on Health System Reform and Sustainable Financing. Previously, Magnus worked for the World Bank in Africa, East Asia, and Latin America in different roles, including as Country Sector Coordinator in South-East Asia, Program Leader for Human Development in Brazil, and, most recently, as Practice Manager for Health, Nutrition and Population in East and Southern Africa (2015-2019) and West and Central Africa (2019-2023). In his most recent roles, Magnus has overseen large operational portfolios, covering health system strengthening, performance-based financing, maternal and child health, nutrition, health emergency preparedness, and women and girls' empowerment, and was closely involved in the conception, establishment, and operationalization of the Pandemic Fund. He holds a DPhil degree in Economics from Oxford University and has published books, research articles, and reports on health system reform, service delivery, impact of health sector programs, distributional issues in the health sector, public finance, service delivery, poverty, and other topics.   

Farid Fezoua is the Global Director for Health, Education, and Services at IFC, a member of the World Bank and the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. 

Based in Washington DC, he is responsible for managing IFC’s investment and advisory services in health and education, tourism, retail, and property, leading a team responsible for an $8.2 billion investment portfolio. 

Prior to joining IFC, Farid was President and CEO of General Electric Africa, leading GE’s operations in Sub-Saharan Africa, including developing sustainable solutions to strengthening health systems. 

COMING SOON!

Since 2021, David has been working for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, as their first Director Development Finance. He is responsible for managing Gavi’s relationship with Multilateral Development Banks and International Financial Institutions and for designing innovative financial instruments to help support Gavi’s mission in lower-income countries.  

Prior to joining Gavi, David worked at the World Bank Group where he was an Alternate Executive Director representing the UK at Board level. In his 5 years at the Bank he played a role in the historic capital increase agreed in 2018 and helpful oversee the Bank Group’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

David spent the first decade of his career working in a range of domestic and international facing jobs in the UK government, working predominantly at the UK Treasury but also in the Cabinet Office and the Department of Energy and Climate Change. 

Harley is Head of Strategy and Policy at the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. He leads development of the Global Fund’s Strategy and strategic direction, revisions to the Fund’s allocation model for greater impact, oversees the Fund's Key Performance Indicators and internal performance metrics, and coordinates Secretariat and Board-level decision-making on critical policies from fragile states to sustainability to climate change. 

Previously, he served for over 2 years as the Director for Global Health, Food Security and Development at the National Security Council. He was a 2010-2011 White House Fellow and Senior Public Health Advisor at the United States Agency for International Development. Prior, Harley served as Director of the Global Health and Foreign Policy Initiative and a Professorial Lecturer at the Johns Hopkins Nitze School of Advanced International Studies. 

Harley also served as an author and senior consultant to the CSIS Global Health Policy Center and is a Fellow with the Truman National Security Project. Prior to Johns Hopkins, Harley consulted for the Nuffield Trust on health and security issues, was a program associate with the California Endowment, and worked as an interviewer and analyst on the Baltimore City needle exchange vans. Harley was a Luce Scholar in Chiang Mai Thailand, worked in the Nagatyad refugee camp with refugees from the Bosnian War, and volunteered for 3 years with the Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team on Mount Snowdon in North Wales. 

Harley received a Ph.D. in public health policy from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, a Masters in Public Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and graduated with Honors from Wesleyan University.

H.E Dr. Jean Kaseya, a Congolese Medical Doctor with advanced degrees in Epidemiology and Community Health, was appointed Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa-CDC) during the 36th African Union Summit of Heads of State and Government in February 2023.

H.E Dr. Jean Kaseya brings to this position over 25 years of expertise in the field of public health, having held pivotal roles both at the national and international levels with various organizations from the private sector, philanthropies, and bi and multilateral development partners.

Before assuming his role as Director-General of Africa CDC, H.E Dr. Jean Kaseya had a distinguished career, holding multiple significant roles.

At the national level, Dr. Kaseya has been entrusted with significant responsibilities, contributing his expertise to the health initiatives of his home country. These roles have included serving as a Senior Adviser to President Laurent Desire Kabila at a ministerial level, where he played a vital role in shaping healthcare policies and strategies. Additionally, he has taken on roles such as the Head of Routine Immunization within the National Expanded Programme on Immunization, showcasing his dedication to enhancing healthcare delivery at the grassroots level. On the international stage, he has worked with prominent organisations such as UNICEF, Gavi, CHAI, and the World Health Organization, where he has been instrumental in driving forward various health initiatives of continental significance.

As the Director-General of Africa-CDC, H.E Dr. Jean Kaseya oversees the organisation's fundamental political, strategic, and technical functions. At the forefront of his agenda is his commitment to advancing a transformative "New Deal" for Africa CDC, with the primary objective of strengthening health security across the continent by implementing the New Public Health order for Africa. This undertaking involves establishing sustainable and innovative financing mechanisms, enhancing robust governance structures, cultivating technical expertise, building resilient health systems, and preparing the continent for any public health threat and the next pandemic.

Dr. Kaseya is a devoted family man and a proud father of three daughters who loves African music and cuisine.

Emily Tagliaro heads the Engagement & Investment Department at the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). Her principal function is to engage in dialogues with resource partners to secure investments and resources to fortify the realization of WOAH’s mandate, mission, and strategic plans. She collaborates closely with colleagues and partners (institutional, technical, scientific) to deliver on commitments with results and value for money. An Australian cultural anthropologist, she has passionately dedicated the past 20 years to strategy development, resource mobilization and management for the health, agriculture, and environment sectors. Emily's commitment to veterinary public health shines through her diverse journey, including roles at the Italian Ministry of Health, private consulting, and academia.  

Serina is Executive Head of the G20 Joint Finance-Health Task Force Secretariat, housed in the WHO.  Prior to taking on this role in June 2023, she was Deputy Director for Global Issues and Governance at HM Treasury, UK where she led global policy and the G7/G20 team. In Global Health, she led UK vaccines and therapeutics spending and policy during Covid-19, established HM Treasury’s Global Health capability, and delivered the Joint Finance and Health G7 Chair’s Statement on AMR in 2021 under the UK’s G7 Presidency. She has extensive policy delivery experience in the intersection of public and private finance, climate and development, having led the UK’s COP26 Finance Day policy in 2021, headed the Private Sector Department in DFID (now FCDO), as  private sector adviser for the Green Climate Fund. Prior to joining the Civil Service in 2009, she had a long-established international career in private finance, including as a partner in a start up investment advisory firm taken to public listing, in senior roles at Nomura International and at Prudential/M&G Investment Management as an investment professional managing flagship pension and investment funds.   

She is a CFA charter holder and holds a BSc in Politics, Philosophy and Economics, an MSc in Environmental Economics and a Diploma in International Development. 

A Romanian national, Darius M. Stangu is a Senior Financial Officer in the Trust Funds and Partner Relations department, Development Finance Vice-Presidency of the World Bank. Since 2007, Darius has provided trustee services to several multi-billion, multi-partner Financial Intermediary Funds (FIFs) (e.g., The Pandemic Fund, Climate Investment Funds, International Finance Facility for Immunization, Global Environment Facility, CGIAR, Global Concessional Funding Facility, Haiti Reconstruction Fund, MENA Transition Fund, etc.). He also brings expertise and experience in the design and implementation of new FIFs, while assuring compliance with World Bank’s policies and procedures for managing FIFs. Darius recently completed a 1-year developmental assignment in the World Bank Group’s Internal Audit department, supervising teams performing internal control audits. Darius started at the World Bank in 2003 servicing loans, reviewing clients' withdrawal applications, financial statements and audit reports for compliance with WBG policies and fiduciary standards. Before joining the World Bank, Darius advised PricewaterhouseCoopers’ multinational clients in Romania on their tax policies. As a young Finance Director for Sumitomo in Romania, he wrote all the financial, tax and accounting policies for the company, and hired and trained the finance and accounting staff. Darius started his career at Procter & Gamble in Romania, as a junior accountant while still pursuing his Economist degree, and progressed to heading the Finance & Accounting department. 

COMING SOON!