Indian-origin health expert Anil Soni has been appointed by the WHO Foundation as its inaugural Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

WHO Foundation works alongside the World Health Organization to address the most pressing and immediate health challenges across the globe.

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Anil Soni will take charge as the CEO of WHO Foundation on January 1, 2021.

Soni’s key role as the CEO of WHO Foundation will be to accelerate the organisation’s work to invest in initiatives that support WHO’s missions to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all.

Director-General of World Health Organisation, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described Anil Soni as a proven global health innovator.

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“Soni has spent almost two decades in service of HIV/AIDS affected communities and other infectious diseases,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

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“Soni has a unique skill set that spans the public and private sectors and his leadership of WHO Foundation will provide invaluable support to WHO’s missions,” he added.

The WHO Foundation, an independent grant-making agency headquartered in Geneva, was launched in May 2020.

Meanwhile, expressing happiness over his appointment, Soni said, “The world is at a critical juncture in regards to public health.”

Founder and Chairman of the Board of the WHO Foundation, Professor Thomas Zeltner said, “Soni is a dynamic leader with deep experience across all aspects of global public health.”

Earlier, Anil Soni, served as the Head of Global Infectious Diseases at Viatris, a global healthcare company.

Soni had also been a senior advisor at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the MDG Health Alliance.