Ray Chambers entrusts Chairmanship of MMV to Per Wold-Olsen
After 4 years as Chairman of MMV’s Board of Directors, in November 2015, Ray Chambers, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Financing the Health Millennium Development Goals and for Malaria, stepped down, entrusting the role to his Vice Chair, Per Wold-Olsen. The appointment of Per was confirmed with unanimous support by the Board of Directors at its November meeting.
Per Wold-Olsen, former President of Human Health Intercontinental Region, Merck & Co., Inc, joined MMV’s Board in November 2008 and has been Vice-Chair since May 2013. Per holds an MBA and has extensive global leadership experience and knowledge of the healthcare industry from his many years in the pharmaceutical industry. His extensive expertise encompasses product development, commercialization, and developing world and access issues.
Ray joined MMV as Chairman of the Board in June 2011 to play his part in discovering, developing and delivering the antimalarials needed to give the fight against malaria the strongest possible chance of success. As Special Envoy, Ray is leading the global effort to mobilise resources for malaria and other diseases of poverty to support malaria elimination and eradication and so brought a unique perspective to MMV’s work. His belief when he joined the Board was that the global community needed an organization with excellent leadership, a rich portfolio of promising compounds and products, and a diverse, well-functioning Governing Board.
“As I step down to focus on my role at the UN, I am confident that MMV possesses all of these attributes,” said Ray. “Indeed, I have been continually impressed by the way MMV manages to keep on top of its multiple work streams while efficiently managing staff and partner expectations and relationships. It is one of the best organized and run organizations I have seen in my career, and I am confident of the organization’s continued bright future and key role in the fight against malaria. I congratulate Per on being named my successor as Chairman and look forward to supporting MMV in my continued role as a Board member.”