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Governance

Executive Board

The Executive Board, Unitaid’s decision-making body, determines the organization’s objectives, monitors progress and approves budgets. The Board is chaired by Marisol Touraine, former French Minister of Social Affairs, Health and Women’s Rights, 2012-2017. Making decisions by consensus, the Executive Board consists of 13 members:
  • One representative nominated from each of the five founding countries (Brazil, Chile, France, Norway and the United Kingdom), Spain and the Republic of Korea;
  • One representative of African countries designated by the African Union;
  • Two representatives of relevant civil society networks (nongovernmental organizations and communities living with HIV/AIDS, malaria or tuberculosis);
  • One representative of foundations;
  • One representative of temporary shared non-voting seat (Japan);
  • One representative of the World Health Organization (non-voting).

Read the Executive Board’s Resolutions and Minutes 

Read the Executive Board’s e-Resolutions

Find out more about Unitaid’s Executive Committees

Find out more about Unitaid’s Proposal Review Committee

DOCUMENTS & DOWNLOADS

  • Unitaid constitution
  • Board Operating Procedures
  • Code of ethical conduct for Unitaid board constituencies and governance officials

    • Chair and Vice-Chair

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    Marisol Touraine

    Chair

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    Cecilia Kiku Ishitani

    Chair / Vice-Chair

    Members

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    Salomon Eheth

    African countries / Board member

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    Margarida Rosa DA SILVA IZATA

    African countries / Alternate

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    Cecilia KIKU ISHITANI

    Brazil / BOARD MEMBER

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    Gerson Fernando Mendes Pereira

    Brazil / Alternate

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    Francisco CARVAJAL

    Chile / Board member

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    Andrea Quezada

    Chile / Alternate

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    Maurine Murenga

    Communities living with the diseases / Board member

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    César Mufanequico

    Communities living with the diseases / Alternate

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    Greg Widmyer

    Foundations / Board member

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    Ingrid Etoke

    Foundations / Alternate

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    Stéphanie Seydoux

    France / Board member

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    Joan Valadou

    France / Alternate

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    Keiichi HARA

    Japan / Board member

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    Japan / Alternate

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    Rohit MALPANI

    NGOs / Board member

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    Lynette Mabote

    NGOS / Alternate

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    Haitham EL-NOUSH

    Norway / Board member

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    Austen Davis

    Norway / Alternate

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    Do-yeon WON

    Republic of Korea / Board member

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    Hyekyung Park

    Republic of Korea / Alternate

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    Alejandro FERNANDEZ MAZARAMBROZ

    Spain / Board member

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    Ander Ruiz De Gopegui Aramburu

    Spain / Alternate

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    Sarah Boulton

    United Kingdom / Board member

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    Sarah Dabbaj

    United Kingdom / Alternate

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    Minghui Ren

    World Health Organization / Board member

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    Issa Matta

    World Health Organization / Alternate

    Salomon Eheth

    Representing African countries

     

    Margarida Rosa Da Silva Izata

    Alternate Board Member for African Countries

     

    Cecilia Kiku Ishitani

    Vice-chair of the Executive Board

     

    Cecilia KIKU ISHITANI

    Representing Brazil

     

    Marisol Touraine

    Chair of the Executive Board

    After studying at the Ecole normale supérieure for a degree in economics and social sciences, Marisol Touraine studied at the Institut d’études politiques of Paris and at the prestigious Harvard University in the United States.

    Advisor to the Prime Minister from 1988 to 1991 on geostrategic issues, she became a member of the Conseil d’Etat in 1991. She then served at political positions at local level and within the French Parliament for several years before being appointed Minister of Social Affairs, Health and Women’s Rights (2012-2017). Of particular note in this role was her support to authorize and to assure financial coverage for innovative preventive HIV treatments, as well as her fight for the neutral cigarette pack, acknowledged by the WHO prize in 2016.

    She is Chair of the Unitaid Executive Board since June 2019.

    Gerson Fernando Mendes Pereira

    Alternate Board Member

    Gerson Fernando Mendes Pereira is a medical doctor with more than 30 years’ experience in epidemiology and public health. He holds a master degree (1999) and a doctorate degree (2018) in public health. Since 1984, he has been working in the Ministry of Health of Brazil and is currently the Director of the Department of Diseases of Chronic Condition and Sexually Transmitted Infections and Deputy Secretary of the Secretary of Health Surveillance (SVS) of the Ministry of Health. He is also a professor at UNICEUB/Brasília’s Medical School since 2016.

    Francisco Carvajal

    Representing Chile

    Andrea Quezada

    Alternate Board Member

    Maurine Murenga

    Representing communities living with the diseases

    Maurine Murenga is a passionate advocate for the health, development and human rights of women and girls. With a background in Program Management and Community Development,  she is a pioneer amongst the young women and adolescent girls living with HIV movement in Kenya and a fierce advocate towards ending pediatric HIV. Maurine’s passion for advocacy is driven by her lived experience, and the inequality and vulnerability that young women and adolescent girls experience. In response to these challenges – she founded Lean on Me Foundation – an organization that supports access to health services for adolescents and children living with HIV and affected by TB. Maurine is currently the Executive Director of Lean on Me Foundation and board member of, Friends of the Fight US and EGPAF Kenya. She serves as a member of Global Fund’s Audit and Finance Committee and Country Coordinating Mechanism, Kenya. Formerly board member of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.

    César Mufanequico

    Alternate Board Member

    César has openly been living with HIV since the early 2000s. He is the founding member and national director of MATRAM, the Mozambican treatment access movement, created in 2004 to advocate for access to treatment for people living with HIV in Mozambique, providing treatment education for community preparedness and demand creation. He is a passionate advocate for peer support and equitable access to treatment, locally and beyond.

    Greg Widmyer

    Foundations

    Director, Health Products, Programs, and Markets

    Global Delivery Programs, Global Development

    Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

    Greg is the Director of the new Health Products, Programs and Markets team within Global Delivery Programs (GDP).  In this role, Greg will lead teams responsible for accelerating introduction of products and system innovations that reduce maternal and childhood mortality while strengthening systems to provide strong primary care.  Prior to this role, Greg was Interim Director of Integrated Delivery where he led the team’s main efforts around Primary Health Care strengthening and on accelerating the launch, integration and scale up of products and interventions within those systems.  For the previous six years, Greg was Deputy Director of the Vaccine Delivery leading the Global Implementation team which was responsible for steering many of the day-to-day efforts with Gavi in addition to focusing on vaccine introduction, market dynamics, supply chain and financing.

    Prior to joining the foundation in 2010, Greg was vice president and general manager of Monogram Biosciences where he led the commercial and operational aspects of the company. He has held a variety of commercial positions within the biotech and e-learning industries including serving as head of marketing, finance, and business development at different companies.  Internationally, Greg worked for Population Services International (PSI) as Country Director for programs in Cameroon, Rwanda and Myanmar leading social marketing work in the areas of HIV, maternal and child health and nutrition.  Greg was also a Peace Corps Volunteer in Togo. He received his BA in Russian Studies from Yale University and his MBA from Stanford University.

    Ingrid Etoke

    Alternate Board Member

    Ingrid Etoke joined the foundation in 2021 as Senior Program Officer, Health Products, Programs & Markets at the Gates foundation.

    She is responsible for the new products introduction and market dynamics of the Malaria drugs, Vector Control and vaccine pipeline.

    Before joining the foundation, Ingrid worked for the Innovative Vector Control Consortium (IVCC) as Senior Market Access Manager.

    She started her career in the pharmaceutical industry where she held several commercial roles in Europe and Africa, overseeing infectious and non communicable disease portofolio. Originally from Cameroon, Ingrid holds Masters degrees in Biochemistry and International Marketing from University of Science and Technology of Lille (France).

    Stéphanie Seydoux

    Stéphanie Seydoux has been appointed French Ambassador for Global health in May 2018. She has served as the head of the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Division, assistant to the Director General of Women’s Affairs and social cohesion from 2014 to 2017. Since November 2017, she was in charge of a support mission to the government for the revision of the bioethics law.

    After starting her career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Stéphanie Seydoux joined the General Inspectorate of Social Affairs (IGAS) in 2004. From 2007 to 2010, she was head of the department for the promotion of equality at the High commission against discrimination and for equality (HALDE). From 2010 to 2013, she joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as first counsellor, deputy head of post at the French Embassy in Kenya.

    Stéphanie SEYDOUX holds a master’s degree in literature from the University of Oxford, a graduate of the Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po) and is a former student of the National School of Administration (ENA) – promotion “Léopold Sédar Senghor”

    Joan Valadou

    Alternate Board Member

    Joan Valadou is the Head of the Human Development department at the French ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. His portfolio covers global health, food security, education and gender issues.

    Prior to his current post at the ministry, Joan Valadou worked in Japan as press and communication counselor in the French embassy in Tokyo (2015-2019) and as First secretary in charge of Human Rights in the French embassy in Beijing (2011-2015). Previously, he had served in the Asia and Oceania department as desk officer for China (2009-2011), and in the global health team of the ministry, as desk officer working on UNITAID (2007-2009).

    Mr Valadou studied international organizations and public affairs at SciencesPo Paris and Chinese language and civilization at the National Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations (INALCO).

    Keiichi Hara

    Representing Japan

    Mr Keiichi HARA is Deputy Director-General for Global Issues at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. As a career diplomat, Mr Hara has occupied several key positions at the headquarters, including Executive Assistant to the State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Director of Financial Affairs, Director of the Assistance for Afghanistan, Director of the Country Assistance Planning Division. He has also served at Embassies in Senegal, France, Afghanistan and China.

    Alternate Board Member

    Rohit Malpani

    Representing nongovernmental organizations

    Rohit Malpani is a public health consultant and advocate, based in Paris, France, and represents non-governmental organisations on the Board of Unitaid through Health Action International.  Previously, he was Director of Policy and Analysis at the Medecins Sans Frontieres Access Campaign, a Special Advisor to Oxfam, and a human rights advisor to the World Health Organisation.  Rohit is a lawyer by training, having received a Doctorate of Jurisprudence at the New York University School of Law, and worked as a lawyer at the law firm of Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich and Rosati in Palo Alto.  Rohit is from Canada and grew up in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

     

    Lynette Mabote

    Alternate Board Member

    Haitham El Noush

    Representing Norway

    Haitham El-Noush, Senior Advisor, Innovation in Health and Development, Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation

    Mr. Haitham El-noush has been, during the past nine years, managing the innovation portfolio within global health for the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad); promoting and scaling-up innovative tools and approaches for health and development; through pursing tasks related to policy, partnerships, and operations. He was also the project manager for the UN Every Woman Every Child (EWEC) Innovation Working Group (IWG); through which he led the creation of thriving partnerships that inspired to consensus building, out-of-the-box thinking, and mobilization of financial and non-financial resources.

    El-noush has a long international cooperation career with work experience from nine countries representing three continents; working for both governments, INGOs and the UN. Throughout his career, he has been providing thought-leadership, building and pursuing new initiatives as well as novel work streams and approaches constructed around innovation and digital tools. He has an extensive leadership experience from managing large and complex operations and portfolios.

    El-noush has a Bachelor of Science degree in agriculture science with agriculture economics as major from University of Khartoum in Sudan, a Master of Science degree in development economics and international development with microfinance as thesis topic from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, and a Diploma in pedagogy from Nord (Northern Norway) University. Moreover, he earned a Diploma in impact investing from Saïd Business School at Oxford University; and has recently obtained a course certificate on global health from University of Copenhagen.

    Austen Davis

    Alternate Board Member

    Do-yeon WON

    Representing the Republic of Korea

    Doyeon Won is the Director-General for Development Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea. He has served as Counsellor at the Korean Permanent Mission to UN in New York and Chief of the UNFPA Seoul Office.

     

    Hyekyung Park

    Alternate Board Member

    Dr Park is the Director-General for Infectious Disease Policy of Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency. As a preventive medicine specialist and public health expert, Dr Park joined the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency in 2007 and served as a key leader in several fields including chronic disease control and infectious disease surveillance. Prior to joining Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Dr Park led health promotion programs at the Korea Institute of Health and Social Affairs and the municipal government of Seoul Metropolitan City.

    Alejandro Fernandez Mazarambroz

    Representing Spain

     

    Ander Ruiz De Gopegui Aramburu

    Alternate Board Member

    Sarah Boulton

    Representing the United Kingdom

    Sarah Boulton is responsible for UK investments in Unitaid and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. In a previous role, she led the UK Multilateral Aid Review.

    Sarah Dabbaj

    Alternate Board Member

    Ren Minghui

    Representing the World Health Organization

    Dr Ren Minghui was appointed WHO Assistant Director-General for HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases on 4 January 2016. Prior to that, he was Director-General for International Cooperation in the National Health and Family Planning Commission of the People’s Republic of China.
    Dr Ren received an honorary award by the Russian Federation for his contribution to health cooperation in 2006, and was awarded the “Ordre National du Mérite” by France for his efforts to advance collaboration on the prevention and control of emerging diseases in 2015.

    Issa Matta

    Alternate Board Member

    Issa Matta is Senior Legal Officer who joined WHO in 2003. His principal responsibilities include legal and governance support to WHO partnerships and alliances, the WHO Foundation, the WHO Academy and on legal matters relating to engagement with non-state actors, as well as commercial and contractual issues.

    In 2008, Issa spent a year as a senior lawyer at the Global Fund.  He also acquired significant private sector legal experience during his time as corporate counsel with the pharmaceutical company Merck-Serono as well as in-house attorney with the global consulting firm Andersen.  Issa began his career as a legal consultant in the Abu Dhabi Office of a leading New York based international law firm.

    Issa has a J.D. from the University of Virginia and is admitted as an attorney before the New York bar. Prior to his legal studies, Issa specialized in international relations with a focus on the Middle East.

    Issa is from Lebanon and also lived in Jordan, Kenya, Iraq, UAE, and the USA.

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