The George Institute goes global to boost health impact
The George Institute for Global Health today announced a significant recruitment as part of an ongoing effort to broaden its global reach and impact on the provision of sustainable healthcare for the 21st Century beyond its traditional Australia and Asia-Pacific focus. John McCaffrey, Executive Director, Commercial and Fundraising Director of the UK Labour Party will join The George Institute as Director of Global Development, based in London.
His appointment follows on the heels of two new Board Members, investment banker Russell Aboud, Chairman of Manikay Partners, and business and government leader Paul McClintock, currently the Chairman of Myers Holdings Limited and former Chairman of Medibank Private.
“I'm thrilled to be joining The George, a blue chip international non-profit focused on one of the biggest health challenges facing all countries: how best to provide safe, effective and affordable healthcare,” said McCaffrey, who noted that The George is ranked among the top ten research organisations in the world for scientific impact.
The institute, which now has offices in Australia, China, India and the UK, targets non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and injuries as these are becoming the biggest causes of death and disability worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that NCDs and injuries make up 69% of all worldwide deaths. By 2030, it is estimated that non communicable diseases will claim 50 million lives a year.
Mr McCaffrey has a distinguished track record in raising charitable donations, and his past work includes the Victoria and Albert Museum; the Vatican Museums (of which he is a trustee) as well as global sponsorship roles with BP and Diageo. He played a key role in securing the $230M donation from the Gates Foundation to Cambridge University, while Director of their US Office.
McCaffrey will be joining a new global team that includes a new head of IT, Human Resources and the former head of corporate communications for the World Bank, who has relocated from Washington, DC to Sydney.
The Co-Principal Director of The George Institute, Professor Robyn Norton, said the new appointments come at a time when the Institute is solidifying and expanding its operations beyond the shores of Australia, where it was established in 1999.
“Recruiting a top development leader like John McCaffrey to The George Institute is a huge plus for us and our program. We are looking forward to the new team helping to harness our world class research and further expand our impact,” Professor Norton said.
Co-Principal Director of The George Institute, Professor Stephen MacMahon, said the growing global burden of chronic diseases and injuries poses one of the greatest hindrances to future global economic growth and prosperity, unless policy makers and healthcare practitioners better determine how to efficiently and cost effectively deliver quality healthcare to billions.
“Five billion people around the world do not have access to basic healthcare for conditions most likely to kill or disable them prematurely. With the escalating, unsustainable rise in the cost of healthcare in both developing and developed countries, we see this global health crisis as a top priority,” Professor MacMahon said.
“Expanding our Board and global management team with professionals like John is critical to expanding our work going forward– their expertise combined with the "on the ground" research and cutting edge insights of our scientists and medical researchers should enable us to offer real world solutions to improving global healthcare.”
The global economic burden of non-communicable diseases is estimated at US$6.3 trillion in 2010 and is expected to rise to $13 trillion by 2030.
Recent research undertaken by researchers at The George Institute include the identification of a new treatment for stroke, the development of a "first of its kind" app, FoodSwitch, to help consumers make healthy food choices while shopping, and developing evidence about the safest fluid options for patients in intensive care. The George Institute prioritises research that generates outcomes that can effect crucial change within five years so the lag time between discovery and translation into improved health practice, policy and outcomes is as short as possible.
Biographies
Russell Aboud, Non-Executive Director of the Board
Russell Aboud is the Executive Chairman and a founding partner of Manikay Partners, a New York based multi strategy global investment firm. Mr Aboud has 27 years’ experience in the global investment industry both domestically and internationally, spending the majority of his career at the global investment bank UBS as a Managing Director in Sydney and London. After retiring from UBS he became Chairman of Ord Minnett and also a Senior Advisor to JP Morgan Australia from 2005 to 2008. He also sat on the Board of ASX Ltd from 2005 to 2013. Prior to his finance career Mr Aboud, a graduate of the University of Sydney, was involved in medical practice.
Paul McClintock AO, Non-Executive Director of the Board
Paul McClintock AO is Chairman of Myer Holdings Limited, Thales Australia, NSW Ports, and I-MED Network, and a Director of St Vincent’s Health Australia. The breadth of Mr McClintock’s professional experience spans across government, health, and industry with former positioning include Chairman of Medibank Private Limited, the COAG Reform Council, the Expert Panel of the Low Emissions Technology Demonstration Fund, Intoll Management Limited, Symbion Health, Affinity Health, Ashton Mining, Plutonic Resources and the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research. Mr McClintock played a critical advisory role to the Prime Minister of Australia on strategic directions for policy formulation in his capacity as Secretary to Cabinet and Head of the Cabinet Policy Unit reporting directly to the Prime Minister.
John McCaffrey, Director of Global Development (Senior Management Appointment)
John McCaffrey brings to The George Institute more than 20 years in sponsorship and fundraising, most recently as executive director for fundraising for the Labour Party in Britain. John McCaffrey is one of the UK’s leading development professionals, with deep experience in the field of major gifts, both in the US and the UK. Having led a number of development teams within major organisations and then his own fundraising consultancy for several years working with blue-chip clients raising funds internationally, he is recognized for his background in raising money for the arts, universities, HRH The Prince of Wales’ Charities Council and the Vatican Museums.
Sarah Hazell, Director of Global Human Resources (Senior Management Appointment)
Sarah Hazell brings to The George Institute over 20 years’ experience in global, strategic human resources with employee engagement, talent management and succession planning her areas of strength. Most recently, Sarah was Head of People and Culture at The Australian Diabetes Council. Prior to this Sarah headed up human resources for Latin America and the international region for Baxter Healthcare. During her career, Sarah has worked in leadership positions across the globe, including the United Kingdom, USA, Asia and Australia and has an extensive global portfolio of medical and health related human resource management.
Mark Botros, Director of Global Information & Technology (Senior Management Appointment)
Mark Botros joins The George Institute with 24 years’ experience in information technology, information services, and business management, with global expertise in knowledge and records management, cloud infrastructure, social enterprise and collaboration. Most recently, Mr Botros worked for Healthcare Australia as the Chief Information Officer, where he pioneered an Australian first hybrid cloud with Microsoft, making Healthcare Australia a reference site and case study for Microsoft’s flagship cloud service "Office 365". Prior to this, Mr Botros was responsible for global IT operations and direction for iconic Australian company the Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation, a 5000 person business.
Richard Mills, Director of Global Communications (Senior Management Appointment)
Richard Mills joins The George Institute from the World Bank, where he was most recently Director of Corporate Communications. There he helped lead efforts to tell the story of a World Bank that more than doubled its support to developing countries during the financial crisis while becoming more focused on openness, results and accountability. He spearheaded the use of new and creative tools across social media, marketing and outreach. A spokesman for some of the highest profile parts of the United States government, from Congress to the Executive Office of the President to the State Department, Mr Mills has 20 years of experience with international issues in over 60 countries, from trade, economics, conflict and, most recently, poverty and development.
