Appointments Updates

Kenya Association of Manufacturers confirms Anthony Mwangi as new CEO

KENYA – The Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) Board has elected Mr. Anthony Mwangi as its new Chief Executive Officer for a three-year mandate, effective 15th September 2022.

With over 20 years of experience, Mr. Mwangi brings a vast wealth of industry knowledge and extensive experience in public policy, government relations, stakeholder engagement, communications and business development cutting across the transportation, ICT, aviation, and oil and gas industries to the Association, KAM said in a statement.

KAM outlined that Mr Mwangi has a Masters’ Degree in Public Policy and Management from Strathmore Business School, a Bachelor’s degree from University of Nairobi and a Certificate of Public Policy from New York University (NYU).

On his appointment, Mr. Anthony Mwangi said: “I’m excited to take up the new role. I shall work closely with all stakeholders to increase the efficiency and productivity of the local manufacturing sector and drive exportled growth.”

Novartis hires Merck executive Fiona Marshall to head research unit

SWITZERLAND - Fiona Marshall, a former Merck executive, has been named president of the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research (NIBR), effective November 1st.

She succeeds James (Jay) E. Bradner, M.D., who will step down from the Executive Committee of Novartis (ECN), effective October 31st after seven years of leading research at Novartis.

Marshall currently serves senior vice president and global leader of MSD’s (Merck & Co. Inc) discovery sciences, preclinical development, and translational medicine departments.

At Novartis, she will become a member of the executive committee and will report to Vas Narasimhan, M.D., CEO of Novartis.

Dr. Marshall was the founder and chief scientific officer of Heptares Therapeutics, a successful UK biotech business that was acquired by the Japanese biotech company Sosei.

She is a Fellow of the Royal Society and the Academy of Medical Sciences, an Honorary Fellow of the British Pharmacological Society and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Geoffrey Purtill to take charge of Invacare as interim CEO and President

USA - American manufacturer and distributor of non-acute medical equipment Invacare has named Geoffrey Purtill as interim President and CEO in a radical leadership restricting exercise that saw former CEO Matthew Morgan exit the company. According to a statement released by the Elyria, Ohio based company, Geoffrey Purtill, general manager for EMEA and APAC, will have the top job until a substantive office holder is appointed.

Cliff Nastas, Invacare’s lead independent director, said that the board determined that now is the right time for a change in leadership to oversee the successful execution of Invacare’s business transformation.

The board restructuring processing also saw the comeback of Michael Merriman, Jr. to the company’s board as the lead independent director.

From 2014 to 2018, Merriman served on the Invacare board as an operating advisor for the private equity fund Resilience Capital Partners. Invacare now has seven of its eight directors who are independent.

UNFPA confirms Lydia Zigomo as Regional Director for East and Southern Africa

ZIMBABWE – The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has elected Lydia Zigomo from Zimbabwe as its new Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, succeeding Dr. Bannet Ndyanabangi, the outgoing Regional Director ad interim.

On her appointment, Zigomo said that UNFPA’s vision of achieving a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled is close to her heart.

She further said that her focus as the new Regional Director will be to intensify efforts to achieve UNFPA’s three transformative results by 2030.

Ms Zigomo is expected to lead efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) commitments in East and Southern Africa.

Ms Zigomo is also expected to lead the UNFPA’s Division in the attainment of its vision of achieving a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential.

Royal Philips names Roy Jakobs to succeed Frans van Houten as Philip’s CEO

NETHERLANDS – Royal Philips, a global leader in health technology, has appointed Roy Jakobs to succeed Frans van Houten as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective October 15, 2022.

Frans van Houten, who has served at the company’s top office for three terms, will facilitate the transition as the company’s advisor from now until April 30, 2023.

Roy Jakobs brings to the Amsterdam based company a strong international, operational, and transformational track record together with a deep grasp of Philips.

He has successfully turned around businesses in customer-focused growth organizations and strengthened the company’s Connected Care portfolio.

Roy Jakobs expressed his pleasure in taking up the new role: “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead Philips to improve people’s health and well-being via innovation,” he said.

He added that in order to meet the demands of patients and customers now and in the future, he will build on the company’s solid basis as a leader in purpose-driven health technology with deep innovation and clinical knowledge.

WHO appoints Dr Jane Ruth Aceng as the second VP of the Regional Committee in Africa

UGANDA – Uganda Minister of Health Hon Dr Jane Ruth Aceng has been appointed the second Vice President of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee in Africa.

The WHO African Regional Committee is responsible for formulating regional policies on Health to guide the participating governments and the committee comprises of Ministers of Health or their representatives from each of the 47 Member States in the Region.

Aceng comes to the helm of the institution following her endorsement during the 72nd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa in Lomé, Togo.

Besides her current role as the Uganda Minister of Health, Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng is a Senior Consultant Pediatrics as well as a Public Health expert.

She has worked for the Ministry of Health in Uganda as a Medical Officer, Senior Medical Officer, Medical Officer Special Grade, Medical Superintendent, Consultant Pediatrician, Senior Consultant Pediatrician, Hospital Director and Director General of Health Services.