Leadership

The foundation’s leaders come from a broad range of backgrounds and have a diversity of expertise and experience that spans science and technology, medicine, public policy, education, communications, law, and business. Our leaders are guided by the foundation’s mission to create a world in which every person has the opportunity to live a healthy, productive life.

Executive Leadership

Mark Suzman

CEO, Board Member

Mark Suzman leads the Gates Foundation in advancing its mission to ensure that every person has the opportunity to live a healthy, productive life.
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Salman Ahmed

President, Global Policy and Advocacy

Salman leads the foundation’s work in international political and economic affairs, overseeing relationships with governments, intergovernmental organizations, advocates, and philanthropic partners worldwide.
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Carolyn Ainslie

Chief Financial Officer

Carolyn Ainslie oversees the foundation’s financial planning and management functions—including accounting, financial analysis, investment strategy and processes, risk and assurance, business management, and the Strategic Investment Fund—as well as strategy and planning more generally.
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Lauren Bright

Chief Legal Officer, Corporate Secretary

Lauren W. Bright leads the foundation’s legal team and is responsible for all legal matters and activities pertaining to the foundation and its affiliate organizations.
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Christopher J. Elias

President, Global Development

Dr. Chris Elias leads the foundation’s efforts to strengthen the systems that make health care more accessible, equitable, and effective.
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M Hari Menon

President, Global Growth & Opportunity

Hari Menon leads the foundation’s Global Growth & Opportunity Division, which includes the Agricultural Development, Digital Public Infrastructure, Global Education, Inclusive Financial Systems, Nutrition, and Water, Sanitation & Hygiene programs.
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Trevor Mundel

President, Global Health

Trevor Mundel leads the foundation’s efforts to develop high-impact interventions against the leading causes of death and disability in developing countries.
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Alex Reid

Chief Communications Officer

Alex Reid leads communications for the foundation and is responsible for the strategic use of voice to amplify the foundation’s philanthropic role and impact.
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Shana Tarbell

Chief Operating Officer

Shana Tarbell is the foundation’s chief operating officer, responsible for driving much of the daily operations that enable the organization’s mission.
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Ankur Vora

Chief Strategy Officer; President, Africa & India Offices

Ankur Vora oversees the foundation’s work across Africa and India—two regions central to the foundation’s global mission — and leads enterprise-wide strategy, advising the Chair and CEO on priorities, resource allocation, and major tradeoffs across the portfolio.
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June Yoshinari Davis

Chief People Officer

June Yoshinari Davis leads the foundation’s people-centered strategies across talent, culture, and organizational effectiveness, which includes human resources and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
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Anita Zaidi

President, Gender Equality Division

Dr. Anita Zaidi oversees efforts to advance gender equality in all of the foundation’s global work.
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Chair and Governing Board

Bill Gates

Chair, Board Member

As chair of the Gates Foundation, Bill Gates shapes and approves foundation strategies, advocates for the foundation’s issues, and sets…
View profile: Bill Gates
Mark Suzman

CEO, Board Member

Mark Suzman leads the Gates Foundation in advancing its mission to ensure that every person has the opportunity to live…
View profile: Mark Suzman
Ashish Dhawan

Board Member

Ashish Dhawan is the founder and CEO of the Convergence Foundation (TCF), which is focused on accelerating India’s economic growth…
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Helene Gayle

Board Member

Dr. Helene D. Gayle served as president of Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia.
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Sri Mulyani Indrawati

Board Member

Sri Mulyani Indrawati is one of Indonesia’s longest-serving and first female minister of finance, serving under three democratically elected presidents.
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Strive Masiyiwa

Board Member

Strive Masiyiwa is a Zimbabwean based in London and an international business leader.
View profile: Strive Masiyiwa
Patrick Methvin

Interim President, U.S. Program

Patrick Methvin leads the foundation’s efforts to ensure education works as a pathway to good jobs and upward mobility for…
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Minouche Shafik

Board Member*

Baroness Nemat (Minouche) Shafik is a leading economist, whose career spans public policy and academia. She is currently on leave…
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Tom Tierney

Board Member

Tom Tierney co-founded The Bridgespan Group, an independent global nonprofit focused on helping philanthropists and nonprofit leaders achieve breakthrough results.
View profile: Tom Tierney

Scientific Advisory Committee

Our Scientific Advisory Committee comprises a group of esteemed experts from outside of the foundation who offer a wide range of experiences and perspectives. This group plays an important role in strengthening our work by offering independent assessments of our Global Health Division strategies and helping us evaluate results.

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Meet our leaders

Division

Program strategy

1 – 5 of 5

Ankur Vora

Chief Strategy Officer; President, Africa & India Offices

Ankur Vora oversees the foundation’s work across Africa and India—two regions central to the foundation’s global mission — and leads enterprise-wide strategy, advising the Chair and CEO on priorities, resource allocation, and major tradeoffs across the portfolio.
Janet Zhou

Director, Data and Technology Adoption, and Director, Strategy

Janet Zhou leads a team that shapes the foundation’s artificial intelligence agenda and its partnerships with funders, governments, and technology organizations to make AI useful, trusted, and scalable in low-resource settings.
Jessa Kamerow

Deputy Director, Strategy

Jessa Kamerow supports foundation program teams in developing and implementing their strategies.
Marie Gibson

Deputy Director, Strategy, Planning, and Management

Marie Gibson leads strategy, planning, and management efforts within the Foundation Strategy Office, which supports the development and refinement of program strategies and explores innovative and efficient ways to advance the foundation’s mission.
Thong Le

Investment Director, Managing Partner

Thong Q. Le serves as Investment Director and Managing Partner of the Strategic Investment Fund (SIF), the impact investment arm responsible for using equity, debt, and guarantee investment tools to further the philanthropic goals of the organization.

Historical Leadership

Melinda French Gates

Co-chair (2000-2024)

Melinda French Gates is a philanthropist, businesswoman, and global advocate for women and girls. She founded and co-chaired the Gates…
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Warren Buffett

Trustee 2006-2021 (emeritus 2021)

Warren Buffett helped shape our vision and developed strategies to address some of the world’s most challenging inequities.
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William Gates Sr.

Co-chair 2000-2020 (d. 2020)

William H. Gates Sr. (d. 2020) guided the vision and strategic direction of the foundation and served as an advocate…
View profile: William Gates Sr.