Case study: Chair of the Audit and Finance Committee and Trustee recruitment | Amref Health Africa UK

Amref Health Africa is the leading health NGO in Africa, dedicated to ensuring that health is a human right and a cornerstone for a brighter future. Founded in 1957 and headquartered in Nairobi, it is a truly African organisation that partners with communities in 35 countries to create lasting change.

Amref collaborates with communities to address their unique health challenges and develop tailored solutions. The organisation empowers health workers at all levels by providing comprehensive training and tools, enhancing their ability to serve their communities. Amref Health Africa UK is one of nine offices in Europe and North America whose primary role is to raise funds and broker partnerships to support and further Amref’s work in Africa.

Context.

Amref Health Africa UK was entering a pivotal period of growth and strategic development with the recent approval and launch of its Global Corporate Strategy 2023-2030, which aligns closely with the UHC2030 agenda. Amref UK was preparing to develop its own 2024-2030 Strategy to complement the global vision. This strategy aims to address a holistic set of social determinants of health, ensuring lasting health change for communities across Africa.

As Amref UK approached the final year of its current strategy, the Board recognised the need to strengthen its governance and leadership capabilities to effectively navigate this new phase.

Brief.

The Chair of the Audit and Finance Committee was stepping down in Autumn 2024. Their leave, combined with the growing complexities of global health challenges,created the need to recruit Trustees with specialized skills to guide the organisation through its ambitious goals.

Amref Health Africa UK was, therefore, seeking two Trustees to strengthen the expertise of their Board. One Trustee was required to be a qualified accountant with senior strategic leadership experience to chair the Audit and Finance Committee. The other Trustee needed to possess deep knowledge of global South business models, transformative funding or current health issues in Africa.

Process.

Over a six-week search period, Peridot Partners approached over 230 selected individuals with the necessary skills, with an additional focus on finding candidates who are strongly interested in Amref Health Africa’s work. We received four applications for the position of Chair of the Audit and Finance Committee and 13 applications for the Trustee position with expertise in the global south.

Outcome.

The new candidates appointed to the Board are:

Chair of Audit and Finance Committe: A qualified accountant with over 30 years of executive experience in the healthcare sector, including board membership and a former non-executive role at a large public service organisation. This candidate is currently a Division Chief Financial Officer at a major global pharmaceutical company. Prior to this role, they served as Chief Financial Officer at a leading healthcare subsidiary and as VP of Franchise Finance for a global pharmaceutical division. They have also held other senior finance roles within the organisation. They hold a degree in Chemistry and have a strong passion for health equality and supporting underserved populations in the global South.

Trustee: Currently the Chief Strategy Officer at a research organisation focused on biomedical R&D for global health, they have over 15 years of experience in public health.Their work has involved identifying gaps in health R&D, particularly for neglected diseases and sexual and reproductive health. They have led programmes for major international development organisations across Africa, addressing family planning, infectious diseases,and maternal health. They hold a Master of Public Health and a BA in International Affairs and are pursuing a Doctorate in Public Health, with a focus on the inclusion of pregnant and lactating individuals in clinical research.