WORLD HEART FEDERATION APPOINTS DR JEYA WILSON AS CHIEF EXECUTIVE

WORLD HEART FEDERATION APPOINTS DR JEYA WILSON AS CHIEF EXECUTIVE

 

Geneva, 28 October 2008 – The Board of the World Heart Federation is pleased to announce the appointment of Jeya Wilson PhD, as the new Chief Executive. Dr Wilson brings with her over 20 years experience of working in the private, NGO and academic sectors. She is highly respected for her leadership skills, political insight, fundraising abilities, and innovative strategy implementation within a multi-stakeholder environment.

World Heart Federation President, Professor Shahryar A. Sheikh, said “Dr Wilson joins the organization at a critical period of strategic review and her strong leadership skills and previous experience are invaluable to us. We have expanded our activities considerably over the years and it is now time to reflect and define our priorities. Her energy and enthusiasm is exactly what the World Heart Federation needs and we have every confidence in her ability to implement our vision for the future.”

Dr Wilson stated “I am honored to be appointed as Chief Executive of the World Heart Federation and I am passionate about this organization making a phenomenal difference to the world. Having lost both my parents to cardiovascular disease, I have personal knowledge of the devastating impact it can have on families and communities. I am committed to fulfilling the organization’s mission to help the global population achieve a longer and better life through the prevention and control of heart disease and stroke.”  

Dr Wilson joins the organization from New York where she worked as Director of Business Partnerships at the United Nations Development Programme and as Private Sector Expert and Consultant on Private Sector Development at the UN. She was also Vice President for Global Alliances at CBM, the leading international development and disability organization, where she helped to introduce the first comprehensive global advocacy policy on the rights of persons with disabilities in the developing world and raised awareness among policy makers and healthcare professionals.

While Chief Executive of the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry she established the first HIV/AIDS Business Unit to advocate for measures to control and manage the epidemic. She was honored by the UN, at the World Summit on Sustainable Development, for this pioneering work.

Dr Wilson has a Doctorate in International Relations from the University of Oxford where she distinguished herself by becoming President of the Oxford Union. She handed over the Presidency to Boris Johnson who is now Mayor of London. She has been appointed New Zealand Honorary Consul in South Africa as an Africa Leadership Fellow of the Aspen Institute and a 21st Century Trust Fellow. Dr Wilson has lived and worked in Sri Lanka, Samoa, South Africa, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. Her interests include opera, politics, hiking and - in earlier days - riding a 750cc motorcycle.


About the World Heart Federation
The World Heart Federation is a non-governmental organization based in Geneva Switzerland dedicated to the prevention and control of heart disease and stroke, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries.  It comprises 196 member societies of cardiology and heart foundations from over 100 countries. For further information visit: www.worldheart.org

Press contact:
Charanjit K. Jagait
Tel: +41 22 807 03 34
charanjit.jagait(at)worldheart.org