Global Fund Board Names Three Finalists For Executive Director Position

Unnamed officials said to be close to the process of naming a new executive director of the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria on Tuesday confirmed that the group has selected three finalists, the Boston Globe reports. According to the officials, the finalists are Michel Kazatchkine, a former Global Fund vice chair and France's global ambassador for HIV/AIDS and communicable diseases; David Nabarro, a senior World Health Organization administrator leading United Nations efforts to fight avian flu and pandemic flu; and Alex Coutinho, manager of AIDS treatment programs in Uganda (Donnelly, Boston Globe, 1/31). A previous report indicated that Nabarro leads the list of three candidates for the position. The Global Fund in November 2006 called off plans to name a new executive director to succeed Richard Feachem -- whose contract ends in March -- and launched a new search. Board members at closed meetings in November 2006 were unable to agree on one of two finalists. The final two candidates were Kazatchkine and Michel Sidibe, director of UNAIDS' country and regional support department, according to meeting participants. Sidibe withdrew his candidacy for the position. According to a previous report, a nomination committee in January named nine candidates for the executive direction position (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 1/30). The Global Fund board is scheduled to meet next week in Geneva to select an executive director, and the decision might be made as early as Feb. 8 (Boston Globe, 1/31).

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