Senior WHO Official Nabarro Leads New Shortlist of Candidates for Global Fund Executive Director Position, Financial Times Reports
David Nabarro, a senior World Health Organization administrator leading U.N. efforts to fight avian and pandemic flu, heads a new shortlist of three candidates for the executive director of the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the Financial Times reports (Jack, Financial Times, 1/29). The Global Fund in November 2006 called off plans to name a new executive director to succeed Richard Feachem -- whose contract ends in March -- and launched a new search. Board members at closed meetings in November 2006 were unable to agree on one of two finalists. The final two candidates were Michel Kazatchkine, a former Global Fund vice chair and France's global ambassador for HIV/AIDS and communicable diseases, and Michel Sidibe, director of UNAIDS' country and regional support department, according to meeting participants. Sidibe withdrew his candidacy for the position. According to a previous report, a nomination committee in January named nine candidates for the executive direction position:
- Kazatchkine;
- Julio Frenk, former health minister of Mexico and a finalist in last year's search for a new WHO head;
- Nabarro;
- Alex Coutinho, manager of AIDS treatment programs in Uganda;
- Carol Bellamy, president of World Learning and former UNICEF director;
- Kunio Waki, deputy executive director of the U.N. Population Fund;
- Jack Chow, former U.S. Department of State senior official who also oversaw WHO AIDS programs;
- Arata Kochi, head of WHO's Malaria Department; and
- Brad Herbert, former Global Fund director of operations (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 1/9).