CEPI Board Membership Updates: New Members Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Dr Yasuhiro Suzuki, and Dr Michael Ryan
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This CEPI press release announces board membership changes at a global pandemic preparedness organization. While not directly about AI safety, CEPI's governance and coordination mechanisms offer analogous models for international coordination on emerging technology risks, including AI.
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Importance: 8/100press releasenews
Summary
CEPI announces three new board members with extensive global health and WHO backgrounds, while acknowledging departures of Dr Nísia Trindade (to serve as Brazil's Minister of Health), Dr Ichiro Kurane, and Dr Peggy Hamburg. The announcement highlights CEPI's ongoing governance evolution as it works toward pandemic preparedness goals.
Key Points
- •Dr Soumya Swaminathan joins as Independent board member, bringing WHO Chief Scientist experience and key role in COVAX vaccine distribution.
- •Dr Yasuhiro Suzuki joins as Investor representative, replacing Dr Ichiro Kurane, with expertise in infectious diseases and health policy.
- •Dr Michael Ryan joins as Non-voting representative, currently leading WHO's Health Emergencies Programme.
- •Dr Gagandeep Kang assumes chairship of CEPI's Joint Coordination Group following Dr Peggy Hamburg's concluded term.
- •Dr Nísia Trindade steps down to serve as Brazil's Minister of Health, reflecting the intersection of global health governance and national policy.
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CEPI announces new board members Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Dr Yasuhiro Suzuki, and Dr Michael Ryan.
Dr Nísia Trindade steps down to assume her role as Brazil's Minister of Health.
Dr Peggy Hamburg concludes term as Chair of CEPI's Joint Coordination Group, which will be overseen by current Board Member, Dr Gagandeep Kang.
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) is pleased to announce new board members Dr Soumya Swaminathan (Independent), Dr Yasuhiro Suzuki (Investor representative), and Dr Michael Ryan (Non-voting representative).
Dr Swaminathan previously served as Chief Scientist at the WHO and was instrumental in the establishment and implementation of COVAX, which has enabled access to over 1.9 billion COVID-19 vaccines globally. Prior to that Dr Swaminathan was Secretary to the Government of India for Health Research and Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research from 2015 to 2017. She is a globally recognized researcher on tuberculosis and HIV and brings over 30 years' experience in clinical care and research. She has also worked throughout her career to translate research into impactful programmes.
Dr Yasuhiro Suzuki has been appointed to the Board where he will sit as a representative of the CEPI Investors Council. This appointment was made following an election by CEPI's investors' representatives. He will replace Dr Ichiro Kurane whose term as Investor Board member has concluded. Dr Suzuki served as Vice-Minister for Health and Chief Medical and Global Health Officer for the Government of Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. He served as Executive Director for Social Change & Mental Health and Executive Director of Health Technology and Pharmaceuticals at the WHO. His expertise covers infectious diseases, mental health, environmental health, and health research policy.
Dr Ryan serves as Executive Director, WHO Health Emergencies Programme. He leads WHO's Emergency preparedness, readiness, response and research in epidemics, pandemics, humanitarian crises and other public health emergencies. He has worked at the forefront of managing acute risks to global health for more than 25 years. Dr Ryan is the strategic lead for the Research & Development Blueprint for Epidemics at WHO and was a founding member of the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN), which has aided the response to hundreds of disease outbreaks around the world.
Finally, Dr Peggy Hamburg's term as Chair of CEPI's Joint Coordination Group (JCG) has concluded and Dr Gagandeep Kang, who is a voting Board Member serving on its Executive and Investment and Equitable Access committees, will assume the post of JCG chair. Dr Kang will rotate off the CEPI Board in May 2023, but will continue as JCG Chair. Dr Nísia Trindade has also stepped down as a Board member to assume her role as Brazil's Minister of Health.
Jane Halton, Chair of CEPI, said: "CEPI has been able to achieve a t
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