Global Ambassadors

Sandro Gozi, former Italian Secretary of State for European Affairs, Current Member of the European Parliament

Mr Gozi joined the European Parliament in February 2020 as a representative of France’s Liste Renaissance party led by President Macron which sits as part of the liberal Renew Europe political group.  As an MEP, he serves on the influential Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection, and the Committee on Constitutional Affairs. Prior to his current role, Mr Gozi was a member of the Italian Parliament from 2006 to 2018.  He served as then Prime Minister Matteo Renzi’s as Secretary of State for European Affairs from 2014 until he left Parliament and Vice-President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe from 2013 to 2015.

“COVID-19 has demonstrated to every man, woman and child around the world that there is no way to separate health and the economy. Italy’s presidency of the G20 is a unique opportunity we cannot afford to miss. As a Global Ambassador for the G20 Health and Development Partnership, I look forward to supporting the cause of improved global health security alongside sustainable economies.”

Elmar Brok, Former Member of the European Parliament (MEP), EDD Group, Germany

Elmar Brok has been member of the European Parliament since 1980. He served as a member in the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Committee on Constitutional Affairs and the Delegation for relations with India. He served as the member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and was the chair from 1999-2007 and 2012-2017.  He was also a substitute member to the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs and to the Delegation to the United States, where he is a member since 1985 and was chair between 2009-2012. He wasco-chair of the Transatlantic Legislators´ Dialogue (TLD) of the European Parliament and the US Congress since 1999 and is Co-Chairman of TPN. He is Deputy Chairman of the World Association of Christian Democrat International (CDI), President of the European Union of Christian Democratic Workers (EUCDW), Chairman of the CDU Federal Committee on European Policy and Chairman of the board of the European Endowment for Democracy (EED).  He is also Member of the CDU Federal Board; Member of the Executive National Council of the CDU NRW and was Member of the party executive of the EPP and Co-Chairman of the EPP-foreign minister. Previously, he was EPP representative at the European Parliament Intergovernmental Conferences on the Treaty of Lisbon, EU Constitutional Treaty (2003/2004), Treaty of Nice (2000), Treaty of Amsterdam (1996/97) and on the Council’s Reflection Group preparing the Maastricht Treaty. In 1990, he was Chairman of the EPP in the Special Committee on German Unification. Between 1973-1983, he was Deputy Chairman of the Junge Union, Vice Chairman and Chairman of the Democrat Youth Committee of Europe from 1977 to 1981, Vice Chairman of the International Democrat Union from 1991 to 2003 and Founding Chairman of the International Democrat Youth Union.  

As a Global Ambassador of the G20 Health and Development Partnership, I call upon the G20 leaders, health and finance ministers to incentivize innovative financing models for advancing global health innovation to ensure better health for all.

Dr. Hayat Sindi, Senior Advisor to the President of the Islamic Development Bank 

Dr. Hayat Sindi is one of the world’s leading biotechnologists and a global champion of science and technology. She is a pioneering, inspirational female leader, working to improve the lives of people around the world, through her resolute belief in the power of science, technology and innovation to solve the greatest development challenges. Dr. Sindi was the first woman from the Gulf to obtain a Ph.D in biotechnology from the University of Cambridge, Dr. Sindi is driven by a passion to develop entrepreneurial ecosystems that can transcend existing gaps between education and opportunity.

In 2017, Dr Sindi was appointed Chief Scientific Advisor to the President of the IsDB. In this role, she has put Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) at the heart of Islamic Development Bank’s work, where it is a powerful driver of economic growth and sustainable development. In 2018, she launched the IsDB’s $500m Transform Fund and Engage platform to support innovators find solutions to development challenges through the power of innovation, the first digital hub of its kind for the developing world. Dr. Sindi is frequently sought out as a commentator by international media outlets due to her passion and knowledge for entrepreneurialism and innovation in developing countries. Her inspired vision for an empowered youth through science, technology and innovation has contributed to her being chosen for esteemed boards including the UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for her efforts in promoting science education in the Middle East and the UN Scientific Advisory Board to which she was appointed to by the previosu UN Secretary General Ban ki moon. Moreover, Dr Sindi was voted one of the BBC’s top 100 Women 2018 and was one of the first 30 women to be appointed to the Saudi Arabia’s highest consultative body, the Shura Council.

Good health is the cornerstone of human development. But too many countries - often the most poorest - face growing health challenges that are impossible for any government of organisation to tackle alone. As a Global Ambassador for the G20 Health and Development Partnership, I am proud to encourage collaborative partnerships between communities and nations across the public and private sectors.
We must work together to control and prevent both communicable and non-communicable diseases. That includes promoting innovative and blended forms of financing that will increase funding to healthcare systems and the development of new diagnostics.

Dame Angela Eagle DBE,  Member of the House of Commons

 

Dame Angela Eagle DBE was made a Dame in the 2021 New Year Honours list for parliamentary and political service, having been a Labour MP since 1992. In the House of Commons, she serves on the Treasury Committee, the Procedure Committee and on the Panel of Chairs. Dame Angela also served in a range of posts in the Labour Government, including at HM Treasury, the Home Office, the Department for Transport and the Department for Work and Pensions, as well as in a number of Shadow Cabinet positions, such as Shadow First Secretary of State and Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills. Dame Angela contested the deputy leadership of the Labour Party in 2015 and the leadership of the Labour Party in 2016. She was educated at St Johns College, Oxford.

The Rt Hon. Lord Jack Cunningham of Felling DL, House of Lords

The Rt Hon. the Lord Cunningham of Felling DL is a member of the House of Lords since 2005. He is currently serving as a member of the Finance Committee and the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee in the House of Lords. He served as the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and the Minister for the Cabinet Office during 1998-1999. Previously, he was the Secretary of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food from 1997-1998. During this time in the Ministry, he embarked on a modernisation programme. He also paved the way for the creation of the disputably independent Food Standards Agency. Lord Cunningham joined the Shadow Cabinet in 1983, and was appointed to be a Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Cumbria in 1991.

As Chairman of the Global Ambassadors’ Panel of the G20 Health and Development Partnership, I would like to warmly welcome and strongly support the efforts of this initiative in raising the salience of the impact of some of the worlds’ deadliest diseases on the agendas of the G20 heads of government, finance and health ministers.

Jamie Bay Nishi – Director, Global Health Technologies Coalition (GHTC)

 

Ms Nishi is the Director of the Global Health Technologies Coalition (GHTC), the premier advocacy organization advancing policies to accelerate the creation of new drugs, vaccines, diagnostics, and other tools that bring healthy lives within reach for all people. She also co-chairs the Global Health Council’s Multilateral Roundtable and the Pandemic Action Network’s Global Health Security Architecture working group. Before joining GHTC, from 2008-2017, she served in several leadership roles at Devex including Director of Membership and Managing Director of DevexLIVE. Prior to that, Jamie spent nearly three years as a Marketing Associate and then Dedicated Advisor for the Advisory Board Company and interned in the US Department of State’s Office of South Central Europe.

“COVID-19 has forced everyone in the world to consider the fact that we didn’t have the tools needed when we need them. As a Global Ambassador of the G20 Health and Development Partners, I call on G20 leaders to prioritize sustainable investment in health research and development capacity-building to help quell the current pandemic and simultaneously address other emerging as well as enduring health threats.”

Dr Harald Nusser, Global Head, Novartis Social Business, Corporate Social Intrapreneur, Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, World Economic Forum 

Dr Nusser is the Global Head of Novartis Social Business and has been leading Novartis Access since June 2015. Since October 2016, he has also taken on the responsibility for the Novartis Malaria Initiative, the Novartis Healthy Family programmes and SMS for Life, which have been combined with Novartis Access into a newly formed unit called Novartis Social Business. Prior to this position, he worked as Head of Portfolio Management for Bayer in 2006, where he managed the Holistic R&D Portfolio Review for Bayer Pharma and the annual Strategic Planning Process for Bayer HealthCare, led restructuring activities and became Managing Director for Bayer spol. s r.o. in Slovakia in 2010. Starting in 2012, he led the Bayer HealthCare business (comprising Animal Health, Radiology, Diabetes Care, OTC and Pharmaceuticals) in 48 countries on three continents.

 

Only with the full participation of the private, commercial sector can United Nations member states achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) at the scale necessary to meet the commitments each state has made as part of the sustainable development goals. In my role as Goodwill Ambassador I shall advocate that the private sector maintains a holistic stakeholder perspective, thus including societal and environmental externalities in its decision making processes.

Professor Dr. Abdullah Mohammed Aldahmash, Director General, Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz Health Research Center at King Saud University and Acting Dean, Alfarabi Medical College, Riyadh 

Professor Aldahmash is the Director General of  the Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz Health Research Center and Founder and Director of Stem Cell Unit at King Saud University. He is well-known for his great enthusiasm and passion for entrepreneurships and development in health care and academia. At his current position, professor Aldahmash has established a full ecosystem for medical research at King Saud Medical City. Previously, he was the Chairman of the Anatomy Department at the College of Medicine. Prior to this, he was the executive consultant for the president of King Saud University, Dr Abdullah Alothman during which he led different dedicated teams to establish innovative projects such as the Riyadh Tech Valley, King Abdullah institute for nanotechnology and stem cell unit. He was also appointed as the academic advisor at the Health Affairs Vice Rectorate of the Princess Noura University.

As an initial supporter and now as a Global Ambassador of the G20 Health and Development Partnership, I fully support and welcome the recommendations set out to G20 leaders in various reports. I look forward to discussing them in Saudi Arabia in 2020, where NCDs account for 73% of deaths and constitute a major challenge to the national economy.

Mishaal Fahd K Al-Sudairy, Sustainability Photographer and Board Member of the Saudi Aviation Club, Former President of the Saudi Arabian Motor Federation

Mishaal Fahd K Al-Sudairy is currently a Board Member of the Saudi Aviation Club and a passionate photographer specializing on the life of indigenous populations in parts of Africa and Asia but also on nature photography. H.E. Al-Sudairy’s photos are depicted around the globe and raise awareness of the importance to maintain our societies and our nature against threats posed by climate change and global health challenges. As a devoted photographer he donates his photos to promote charitable work around the world.

As a former head of several federations in his previous roles, he acted as the President of the Arab Motorcycle Federation in Riyadh as well as the FIM, the President of the Saudi Motorsport Committee and as the Board Member of the Saudi Olympic Committee from 2009-2011.

Dr Monika Puri, Head-Institutional Relations I Global Access, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.

Dr. Monika Puri is a medical doctor and a trained public health specialist with extensive experience in developing and implementing healthcare programs. She currently leads the Institutional Relations team at Roche where she is engaging with global and local stakeholders and shaping the global health dialogue. She specializes in synergizing the role of the corporate sector in the delivery of public health interventions, drawing on her experience in developing and implementing public health programs in India, of policy shaping for Southeast-Asia and building credible relationships with Global Health Institutes. Prior to joining Roche, Dr Puri was at Roche India as a lead for Policy and Government Affairs. She joined the corporate sector from the World Health Organization’s (WHO) South-East Asia Regional Office where she has worked as a public health professional. She supported South-East Asian Member Countries of the WHO in assessing and implementing their National Medicines Policy. Dr. Puri is also the Honorary Chief Operations Officer of a non-governmental organization serving the health needs of villages in the National Capital Region of India. She is a Member of National Academy of Medical Sciences, India and holds an MD, in Community Medicine from Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, India. She was awarded Chevening Scholarship to undertake leadership & excellence program at Kings College London, UK.

Every country is on its own, unique journey to achieving universal health coverage – there is no one size fits all approach. But one thing is for certain: neither governments, nor international organisations or private sector entities can do this alone. I am proud to take on my new role as a Global Ambassador and I am fully committed to ensure that business discussions are focusing on accelerating access to medicines to everyone, everywhere. Until innovation does not reach the right people, we will not meet our global goal of health for all. Now is the time for all partners to set aside their differences and come together to invest in health for all.

Philippe Fauchet, OBE, Founder of Mirasense Partners, Consulting Services for Life Sciences and Senior Advisor to the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), Japan

Philippe Fauchet, OBE is the founder of Mirasense Partners, Consulting Services for Life Sciences. He was the Vice Chairman of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) Japan until June 2018. He is now Senior Advisor to EFPIA. He has been regularly elected to the board of the British Chamber of Commerce in Japan (BCCJ) since April 2015 and until March 2019. Philippe is also appointed French Foreign Trade Advisor (CCE). Philippe Fauchet joined GlaxoSmithKline K.K. as President & Representative Director in January 2010. In April 2018, he was appointed Chairman, GlaxoSmithKline K.K. Philippe joined the company from Sanofi-Aventis where he was Senior Vice President, Corporate Business Development Head of Sanofi-Aventis Group. He had been a member of the Management Committee of Sanofi-Aventis Group from 2005. Philippe started his career in the pharmaceutical industry in 1984 at Roussel Uclaf, then Hoechst Marion Roussel where he occupied, among others, various positions related to the Asia Pacific including positions based in Japan and Korea from 1989 to 1994, as well as positions in marketing and research & development.  He joined Sanofi-Synthelabo in 1996 and held regional positions including Vice President for Eastern & Central Europe, before serving in Japan as President & Representative Director of Sanofi-Synthelabo K.K. from 2001-2004, then of Sanofi-Aventis K.K. until 2008. Philippe has spent 35 years in the pharmaceutical industry, of which 20 in Japan. He is also an advisor to Suzuken Group, M3, and a few Biotechs/Start-up companies, and director on the Board of BONAC Corporation. He was awarded Honorary Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) in October 2014.

I feel the need in uncertain times to unite behind legitimate causes that can make the world better and provide a positive legacy for the next generations. Health for all is still not achieved, in developed and less developed countries, despite all efforts and emphasis put behind the United Nations SDG3. Moreover, there is a need to better coordinate all stakeholders action in the fight against NCDs, tropical diseases, AMR and pandemic preparedness. The development of new technologies offers opportunities to develop innovative solutions to tackle some of the global health issues. Moreover, political convergence to support this agenda, as initiated during the Berlin G20 Summit and pursued on the occasion of the Osaka Summit, offers a unique chance to obtain alignment of Health and Finance Ministers on supportive policies for ‘healthy finance mechanisms’ that would help channeling investment towards above agenda, and I am pleased to assist the G20 Health and Development Partnership for a positive outcome in Japan.

Dr Ricardo Baptista Leite MD, MP, Member of the Portuguese Parliament; Vice President of the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank & International Monetary Fund; Founder & President, UNITE Global Parliamentarians Network

Dr Ricardo Baptista Leite is a Member of the Portuguese Parliament and National Spokesperson of the Social Democratic Party for Health. In Parliament, Dr. Baptista Leite is coordinator for the Social Democrat’s in the Health Committee, member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and member of the All-Party Working Group on Population and Development. Founder and President of the ‘UNITE Global Parliamentarians Network’, a global platform of policy makers committed to ending HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis and other infectious diseases as public health threats, in accordance with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Elected as Vice President of the ‘Parliamentary Network on the World Bank & International Monetary Fund’. Dr. Baptista Leite was awarded the title ‘HCV Change Maker’ by The Economist in recognition of his leadership in the field of hepatitis C. Prior to his election, he was a practising physician for 7 years, including a 5-year infectious diseases residency. He has also worked for over a decade in health information technologies. In addition, he is also Head of Public Health at Católica University of Portugal and Guest Lecturer at NOVA Medical School.

As Global Ambassador I will defend that Health needs to be perceived as an economic tool capable of generating inclusive growth, productivity, equity, social justice and happiness. Investing in health is cost-effective and actively contributes to the sustainability of health systems by diminishing the burden of disease and by promoting well-being for all. No one can be left behind.

Willo Brok,  Senior Vice President of External Affairs for TB Alliance

Mr. Brock is responsible for providing strategic leadership to this not-for profit product development organisation’s fundraising, advocacy and policy, and community and stakeholder engagement work. Prior to joining TB Alliance, Mr. Brock worked for large international development organizations and the Netherlands Government. His passion is bringing together public-private partnerships and, with governments and civil society, tackle global issues of insecurity and inequality aiming at creating opportunities for growth and development. He worked in over 90 countries globally. Mr. Brock received his Masters in Business Administration from the Erasmus University in Rotterdam. Key expertise in international environments and in a wide range of sectors. Topics of special interest: health, environment, housing and urban development, economic development.

As a founding member of the G20 Health and Development Partnership, it is very rewarding to see the breadth of partners and dialogue we have been able to pursue. It is especially important to see that our original goals are becoming a reality: discussing health as an investment in prosperity and socio-economic development, rather than a cost to governments as well as the integration of research and product development (R&D) and health care delivery with global governments in the G20 providing investment and direction rather than being a passive player

Kevin Foley, CEO of Aqua Securities LP

Kevin Foley is CEO of Aqua Securities LP. He is a partner with Cantor Fitzgerald, one of the few remaining private partnerships on Wall Street. He has long been a pioneer and an innovator in leadership positions in financial information technology and electronic trading.

Mr Foley held various leadership positions over a 15-year career at Bloomberg LP, where he contributed to the design, marketing and sales of Bloomberg’s groundbreaking information tool for professional investors.  He founded Bloomberg Tradebook, an innovative electronic trading platform that rapidly grew into a successful global electronic agency brokerage business, and later served as President of eSpeed, the innovative electronic bond trading platform.  He is a former member of the Board of Governors of the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, where he chaired the PHLX demutualization committee.

Mr Foley is past Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Peter C. Alderman Foundation, an international agency supporting global mental health programming for survivors of conflict and crisis, and oversaw the merger of PCAF with HealthRight, International. Mr Foley graduated from Haverford College with honors in Philosophy in 1983 and earned an MBA from Columbia University in 1987.  A former collegiate athlete, he was inducted into the NCAA Division III Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2018.

Ajay Kumar Bramdeo, Former Permanent Observer of the African Union to the United Nations Office at Geneva

H.E. Ajay Kumar Bramdeo is a former the Permanent Observer of the African Union to the United Nations Office at Geneva. Prior to his appointment to Geneva, Mr. Bramdeo, who is a diplomat from South Africa, had been serving as the African Union Permanent Representative to the European Union and Observer to the African, Caribbean and Pacific Secretariat in Brussels since December 2011. Between January 2008 and December 2011, he was Chief Director of Africa Multilateral in Pretoria, whereas from December 2003 until January 2008 he served as High Commissioner to the Republic of Mauritius with non-resident accreditation to the Republic of Seychelles. Mr. Bramdeo joined the South African Foreign Service in July 1995 and went on to serve at the South African Embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from January 1996 until December 2000. In January 2001 he assumed the post of Deputy Director responsible for the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and was then promoted to Director in the Africa Multilateral division and appointed on special assignment as Chargé d’Affaires to Ethiopia, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and the African Union Commission from August until November 2002. He continued to serve as Deputy Head of Mission until July 2003. Mr. Bramdeo holds a degree in education from the University of Durban-Westville in South Africa (1983). He started his career as a High School teacher.

No nation, public, or private sector can ensure Health for All on its own. Sustainable development requires system-wide changes that rely on a critical mass of interested parties from all sectors willing to enter into deep partnerships and collaborations across borders. As a Global Ambassador of the G20 Health and Development Partnership, I fully support the recommendations to the G20 leaders, health and finance ministers to place health in the centre of sustainable economic development.

Dr Paul Ruebig, Former Member of the European Parliament since 1996 and belongs to the European People’s Party (EPP)

Dr Paul Ruebig, born in Wels (Upper Austria), has been member of the European Parliament since 1996 and belongs to the European People’s Party (EPP). He is married and has two children.

Dr Ruebig is full member of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and the Committee on Budgets. In addition, he is substitute member of the Committee on Development and in the Committee on International Trade. Furthermore he is a member and Vice-Chair of the Delegation for Relations with the Korean Peninsula and substitute member of the Delegation for relations with Switzerland, Norway and the EU-Iceland and the European Economic Area Joint Parliamentary Committee.

Dr Ruebig is very active in the field of the small-scale business promotion. He is president of SME Global, a working group of the International Democrat Union (IDU), whose objective it is to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) and to improve their business environment. Since 2014, he has been the Chairman of STOA (Scientific Technology Options Assessment), an official body of the European Parliament that is supported by external experts such as universities, scientists or research institutes.

Furthermore, he is Co-Chairman of the WTO Steering Committee in the European Parliament, as well as of the WTO Parliamentary Assembly.

My goal as a European lawmaker is to support the connection of the different sectors when it comes to health: Research, innovation, budget and social security systems. With the Science Media Hub, just to mention one example, we implemented a helpful tool for the connection of knowledge within the fields of experts in science. I appreciate this very important Health Initiative within the G20 Partnership - cooperation is the only way to solve global issues and to shape the future of better living together.