BAGSVÆRD, DENMARK – The World Diabetes Foundation today announces the constitution of a new Board of Directors. The Board consists of Dr Anil Kapur (Chair), Ms Tina Abild Olesen (Vice-chair), Prof Abdallah Daar, Ms Kirstine Brown-Frandsen, Ms Tine Gammeltoft and Dr Kaushik Ramaiya. 

They will be joined by Mr Christian Holm Jönsson and Mr Peter Haahr, who will support the Board with expertise in two key areas, Digital Health and Social Financing/Investment, over a three-year period.

Ms Gammeltoft is a Professor and Head of the PhD Programme at the Department of Anthropology, Copenhagen University. Her teaching focus includes global health, sexual and reproductive health and chronic health conditions, and her research is driven by a general interest in the social and structural forces that shape human health and wellbeing. Her current research is focused on Vietnam, where she is managing a project on informal support for diabetes management and gestational diabetes.

She is the author of numerous publications and a member of the Editorial Boards of Ethos (the journal of the Society for Psychological Anthropology) and Reproductive Health Matters.

Ms Gammeltoft holds a PhD in Anthropology and a Master’s degree in Cultural Sociology, both from the University of Copenhagen.

Ms Brown-Frandsen is Corporate Vice President for Development Sustainable Business at Novo Nordisk A/S, where she drives environmental sustainability, social responsibility, diversity and inclusion and communication across the company’s Development organisation. 

Ms Brown-Frandsen initiated her studies as an endocrinologist at the University of Minnesota and continued at Copenhagen Medical School. She has served on the steering committees of several diabetes outcome trials and authored numerous publications. In 2009, she became associated Professor of Warwick Medical School. 

In addition to the two new permanent Board members, WDF welcomes two new members who bring expertise in key areas. They will join the WDF Board from 2023 to 2025: 

Mr Jönsson is Corporate Vice President, Digital Incubator & Innovation at Novo Nordisk A/S, where he is driving the corporate digital strategy with a focus on digital health, digital accelerator, innovation and incubation. His experience includes managing Novo Nordisk’s Global Service Center in Bangalore, India in 2017-19. 

He has a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Copenhagen.

Mr Haahr is Chief Executive Officer of the LEO Foundation, where he is leading one of Denmark’s largest commercial foundations while developing efforts within philanthropic grant-giving and asset management. His prior experience includes positions as CFO of Novo Holdings, Denmark, and various leadership positions in Novo Nordisk A/S, both in headquarters and abroad. 

He has a Master’s degree in Finance & Accounting from Aarhus School of Business in Denmark as well as an eMBA from IMD in Switzerland.

Ms Ida Nicolaisen and Dr Stephen Gough are both stepping down from the Board. Ms Nicolaisen was one of the WDF Board’s earliest members, and her anthropological insights have played a key role in WDF’s development. Dr Gough joined in 2020, and his clinical experience and patient focus have been much appreciated. 

The World Diabetes Foundation thanks them for their dedication and service.

The World Diabetes Foundation is a leading global funder of diabetes prevention and care projects in low- and middle-income countries. Our vision is to alleviate human suffering related to diabetes among those in greatest need. We pursue sustainable, scalable approaches, helping countries meet global goals for improved care of diabetes and other non-communicable diseases.

Since 2002, the World Diabetes Foundation has provided 182 million EUR in funding to 584 partnership projects in 119 countries. For every euro of WDF funding provided, about 2 euros in cash or in-kind donations are contributed to the supported projects from other sources. 

To learn more, visit www.worlddiabetesfoundation.org

For more information contact:

Gwendolyn Carleton
Communication Manager
World Diabetes Foundation

Phone:        + 45 30 79 43 09
Mail:        gwc@worlddiabetesfoundation.org