October 10, 2023
We are proud to announce the appointment of our Board of Trustees. A distinguished group of accomplished leaders who will guide the Spirit Health Foundation in delivering our purpose and impact in underserved communities across the world.
The Board of Trustees has been selected based on the extensive skills and experience they bring in global health, as well as their commitment to health equity worldwide.
They will steer Spirit Health Foundation on its path to becoming a major organisation making health easy and accessible globally.
Commenting on the appointments, Rich Bryson, Spirit Health Foundation CEO, remarked:
“Our Board of Trustees brings a fantastic range of expertise from across global health, digital and inclusion. They will play a crucial role in guiding our Foundation’s progress and helping us deliver on our purpose in underserved communities globally. I’m personally really looking forward to working closely with every one of them”
Rich Bryson, CEO of Spirit Health Foundation
Tony Lowther has been appointed as the Chair of the Board of Trustees. Tony is an experienced, recognised leader with over 25 years’ experience in global healthcare. He is currently the UK’s Department for Business & Trade Director for Healthcare & Life Sciences for Africa, and previously led businesses for major Multinational Healthcare & MedTech Corporations in Europe including Johnson & Johnson, ZimmerBiomet, and in South and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Tony explains his passion for taking on the role of Spirit Health Foundation’s Chair of Board of Trustees:
“If I reflect over my >30 year career in Healthcare and MedTech – from carrying the bag as a young rep, scrubbed in the operating theatre – to leading large Multinational businesses and teams, and now working directly with Governments across the African Continent – there is a single thread that has remained the core of my passion and rationale for being here. That is The Patient. I always hold close that this human being, at their time of need, is someone’s Mother, Father, Son, Daughter, Grandparent – someone’s loved ones – perhaps even our own loved ones.
“Healthcare should be a basic human right for every single citizen and, after living in Africa for 11 years, I see the disparity every single day between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’. I see a world where access to good quality care should not be dependent on the size of your bank balance – and where we can improve patient outcomes regardless of whether you can pay for it. Working with The Spirit Foundation will allow me to help deliver improved care pathways, better technologies and expertise, to more patients that really need them.”
Introducing the full Board of Trustees…
Dr Neha Tanna
Neha is a fully licensed physician trained at Imperial College, London. Neha transitioned into the Life Sciences industry, where she held various roles in global pharmaceutical companies. Currently Neha is a venture partner at Equation Capital, a data driven investment firm working across Health, Climate, Deeptech and Enterprise Technology as well as a member of the Health Investor Exchange forum (UNAIDS).
Onica Makwakwa
Onica has 25 years of professional experience in the non-profit sector where she has served in numerous high level positions with national and international organisations including, Head of Africa at the Alliance for Affordable Internet, an initiative hosted at the World Wide Web Foundation; Head of Office for Africa for Consumers International and currently Executive Director for the Global Digital Inclusion Partnership.
Dr Emmanuel Agogo
Emmanuel has an extensive background in healthcare, leadership, primary care and global health. As well as an experienced NHS Doctor, his roles include Nigeria Country Director at Resolve to Save Lives, Deputy Director for the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and currently Director Pandemic Threats at FIND.
Louisa Poole
Louisa is a Fellow of the ICAEW and Finance Director, with over 26 years of finance and accounting management experience. She has experience in a broad range of industries, including financial services, health care, manufacturing, logistics and non-profit. Louisa will fulfil the role of Treasurer on the Board of Trustees.
Philippe Jacon
Philippe has had an extensive career working in diagnostics in senior leadership roles in companies such as Cepheid, FIND and EDMA. He has worked with global health organisations such as the World Health Organisation and the Global Fund. Until December 2021 Philippe sat on the board for MedTech Europe.
The newly formed Board of Trustees is already working closely with the Spirit Health Foundation’s leadership to shape the Foundation’s strategy and approach. You can find out more about what we do here, and look out for announcements of our first partner initiatives soon.
If you’re interested in working with us, please get in touch.
