SEATTLE — The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced Monday that the head of its largest grant recipient will be taking over its global development program.
Dr. Christopher Elias is currently president and chief executive of PATH, a Seattle-based nonprofit that seeks technical solutions to world health programs. PATH’s achievements under Elias’ nearly 12 years of leadership include developing more nutritious rice and creating a way to track vaccine freshness.
His portfolio at the Gates Foundation will include programs that help people in developing countries overcome poverty, hunger and disease. The world’s largest charitable foundation is reorganizing departments to pull some health programs into global development, including vaccine delivery.
The current president of the foundation’s global development program, Sylvia Mathews Burwell, is leaving Seattle to move closer to her aging parents and to head the Walmart Foundation.
The foundation recently named Dr. Trevor Mundel from Novartis Pharma AG as the new president of its Global Health Program. Dr. Tachi Yamada retired from the position in June after five years at the foundation.
Foundation CEO Jeff Raikes said those two management team departures enabled the foundation to reimagine its leadership team and the division of labor.
Because the Gates Foundation has been known for discovery and product development, and PATH is known for development and delivery, Elias will help the foundation increase its focus on getting global health solutions to people, said Gates CEO Jeff Raikes.
“What we really wanted to do with this approach was to put a much greater emphasis on integrated and innovative delivery,” he said.
At PATH, Elias worked on expanding its international presence, with projects currently in more than 70 countries.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
