Dr. Ahmed Ogwell, a dynamic leader in global health, will join VillageReach as our incoming CEO in May, 2025. He will bring his vast expertise, advocating for and implementing systemic health reforms across Africa. Dr. Ogwell’s leadership is marked by his commitment to improving health outcomes through innovative strategies and collaborative efforts with governments, private sector and partners.
Most recently, Dr. Ogwell served as the Vice President of Global Health Strategy at the United Nations Foundation, managing a significant portfolio aligned with the UN’s key initiatives, including global health policy, advocacy, convening, thought leadership and grant-making.
With nearly 30 years of experience, Dr. Ogwell has held distinguished roles at the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), where he drove the vision of Africa’s New Public Health Order and managed the continent’s COVID-19 response. He has also made an impact while at the World Health Organization in Geneva and the Regional Office for Africa, influencing local-level challenges using global knowledge and in Kenya’s Ministry of Health, overseeing health diplomacy and non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
A well-respected public health expert, Dr. Ogwell’s expertise includes health emergencies, prevention and control of NCDs, health policy design and global health diplomacy. He has led international health negotiations for policy change in Africa. A Kenyan national, Dr. Ogwell, founded the Office for International Health Relations and the Department for NCDs at the Ministry of Health of Kenya. He holds advanced degrees from the University of Nairobi and the University of Bergen.
Dr. Ogwell shared, “We are at a crucial moment where we must tackle the multifaceted challenges of global health, from infectious disease outbreaks to funding uncertainties. To do this, we must unite our efforts, innovate solutions and strengthen health systems. VillageReach has been addressing complex health care challenges for 25 years. I am honored to join VillageReach at this critical time to confront these issues and achieve our 2030 goals.”
VillageReach is deeply committed to its 2030 Strategy, which is now progressing into its second year. The strategy focuses on responsive primary health care that includes making health services more available when they are needed, adapting to changes in demand and better absorbing shocks and stresses while responding to the needs and preferences of under-reached communities. It aims to reduce inequities in access to quality primary health care. Dr. Ogwell will be pivotal in building on the strong foundation established since the strategy’s launch. His expertise and relationships will be vital in supporting government needs and ensuring the success of national plans.
Sena Kwawu, Board Chair, said, “We are experiencing unprecedented change resulting from significant aid disruptions for many countries where we work. No one could have predicted this when we began searching for the right leader for VillageReach. With Dr. Ogwell’s deep knowledge of health systems in Africa and the robust 2030 Strategy we have in place, the Board is confident in his ability to navigate VillageReach through these mercurial times and continue making a meaningful impact.”
Dr. Ogwell will succeed Emily Bancroft, who has served as VillageReach’s CEO since 2017. Bancroft’s leadership was instrumental in the organization’s growth and success during her tenure, setting the foundation for the ambitious strategy and notably increasing access to quality health care from 20 million to 111 million people.
VillageReach’s mission to transform health care delivery to reach everyone has never been more imperative, especially with recent setbacks in the sector. Under Dr. Ogwell’s leadership, we are confident in our ability to deliver on our mission, achieve our strategic goals and ensure that under-reached communities receive the health care they need to thrive.
VillageReach works with governments, the private sector, partners and communities to build responsive primary health care systems that deliver health products and services to the most underreached. As a locally driven and globally connected organization working across Africa, VillageReach’s primary goal is to reduce inequities in access to quality primary health care in health systems reaching 350 million people by 2030.
