Egon Zehnder Seeks Inspector General for Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

August 19, 2020 – The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has retained Egon Zehnder to lead its search for a new inspector general. Current inspector general Mouhamadou Diagne informed the board earlier this year that he was stepping down. The firm is seeking candidates with proven skills in leadership and strategic oversight, emanating from broad and diverse backgrounds.

The Global Fund is an independent, multilateral, financing entity designed to raise significant new resources to combat HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria in low- and middle- income countries, said the Kaiser Family Foundation. The organization receives funding from both public and private donors to finance programs developed and implemented by recipient countries.

Board chair Donald Kaberuka said an independent, well-resourced and transparent Office of the Inspector General (OIG) is more essential than ever for the success of the Global Fund as the world responds to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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“The Global Fund is committed to the highest standards of accountability,” Mr. Kaberuka said. “As we help countries defeat COVID-19 and mitigate its impact on HIV, TB and malaria, it is essential to maintain the confidence of our donors and partners and the trust of the communities. Years of hard-won gains could be erased, and millions of lives among the most vulnerable communities are at risk.”

The Global Fund, the largest multilateral investor in grants for health systems, has saved more than 32 million lives and helped cut HIV, TB and malaria deaths by roughly half, disbursing $45 billion to more than 100 countries. However, the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to reverse the gains made by the Global Fund in the fight against the three diseases.

The Global Fund has reacted decisively to the emergence of COVID-19, quickly making available up to $1 billion to support countries as they respond to the pandemic, adapt their HIV, TB and malaria programs, and reinforce their already overstretched health systems.

The nomination committee, with the support of Egon Zehnder, expects to interview the strongest candidates and to recommend a final candidate to the board for appointment by November.

The Position

The inspector general leads and manages the OIG in its provision of independent and objective assurance over the design, performance quality and effectiveness of controls in place to manage the key risks impacting the Global Fund’s programs and operations.

The inspector general maintains strong relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders who are important collaborators in the Global Fund’s efforts to maintain the highest standards of transparency and accountability. Egon Zehnder said that the inspector general also has the responsibility and accountability to set the tone for the OIG’s internal and external interactions by exemplifying values of high ethical standards, integrity and fairness. “He/she manages the OIG in a professionally competent and responsible manner to achieve the mission set forth in the charter of the OIG,” said the search firm. “The individual must act in the best interests of the Global Fund in all contexts, and is responsible for ensuring this culture prevails amongst employees and contractors that hold positions with the OIG.”

The IG is appointed for a non-renewable six-year term. The performance-based approach that the Global Fund adopts to its programs, applies also to its leadership. Employment is strictly subject to performance against an agreed set of criteria through an annual performance assessment process, defined by the board.

Related: Global AIDS Fund Turns to Russell Reynolds Associates for C-Suite Leaders

The Global Fund wants candidates with exceptional management skills of people, finances and systems, with a proven capacity to motivate and lead a multi-disciplinary management team to achieve organizational goals according to a risk-aware implementation framework, said Egon Zehnder. They should have the ability to make difficult decisions when required, balanced by experience in constructive engagement with staff on change management processes and their value to the organization as a whole.

Strategic Leadership Capability

Candidates should also have:

• Proven ability to formulate a strategy that meets organizational and oversight demands efficiently and effectively.
• Proven ability to deliver results that focused on key organizational goals amid multiple competing risks and demands.
• An ability to understand key issues facing partners in implementing countries and opportunities that exist to alleviate barriers to successful implementation of national programs and prioritize issues and find pragmatic solutions either in the department or organizationally.
• Proven ability to articulate key messages and communicate effectively to multiple stakeholders such that value is added at different levels and in multiple ways to a wide range of stakeholders.
• A strong analytical mind and the ability to grasp the nature and direction of the Global Fund strategy—and risk profile–and respond appropriately.
• The capacity to work collaboratively with a large and complex board and its committees and advisory bodies in the development and articulation of its vision and on its translation into action.

The Global Fund said that all appropriately qualified people regardless of their nationality, ethnicity, sex, marital status, civil partnership status, disability, age, religion, political belief, sexual orientation, health status or trans-gender status, and individuals who are living with HIV are encouraged to apply. “The Global Fund board is highly committed to diversity,” the organization said.

Egon Zehnder’s public and social sector practice works in partnership with its clients to advise governmental, NGO, non-profit, civic and academic institutions on finding top leadership. Each client and mandate is bespoke, with its engagements covering executive search, leadership assessment and development, team effectiveness, succession planning as well as organizational change management consulting.

Related: Societe Generale Turns to Egon Zehnder to Find Next CEO

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor  – Hunt Scanlon Media