The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is expected to appoint its next executive director later this month, with five candidates shortlisted for the top position at the international health financing organisation.

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The successful candidate will be appointed at the Global Fund Board’s 56th meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, from October 28 to 30, and is expected to take office in the first quarter of 2027.

Here are the five candidates shortlisted for the position and their professional backgrounds:

Mark Dybul

One of the candidates is Mark Dybul, who served as executive director of the Global Fund from 2013 to 2017. Before that, he was the United States Global AIDS Coordinator, overseeing implementation of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

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Since leaving the Global Fund, he has worked in academia, global health policy and biotechnology, including at Georgetown University.

Richard Hatchett

Another candidate is Richard Hatchett, the outgoing chief executive officer of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), which he has led since 2017.

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The organisation works to accelerate vaccine development and prepare for epidemics. A physician by training, Hatchett previously held senior positions in the US government, including at the White House and the Department of Health and Human Services, focusing on pandemic preparedness and health security.

Lutz Hegemann

Lutz Hegemann is also among the candidates. He is president of global health at Novartis, where he oversees work covering drug discovery, development, access and implementation. He also oversees the company's operations in Africa. A physician and scientist by training, he has held several senior positions at Novartis, with experience in malaria and neglected tropical diseases.

Joyce Msuya

Another candidate is Joyce Msuya, who most recently served as assistant secretary-general and deputy emergency relief coordinator at the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), including a period as acting emergency relief coordinator. She previously held senior positions at the United Nations Environment Programme, including deputy executive director and acting executive director. Earlier in her career, she worked at the World Bank Group across Africa, Asia and international development.

Janti Soeripto

The fifth candidate is Janti Soeripto, president and chief executive officer of Save the Children US. She previously held senior positions at Save the Children International, including deputy chief executive and chief operating officer. Before joining the organisation, she spent more than 15 years in the private sector, mainly at Unilever, working in finance, strategy and operations.

How will the next director be selected?

The selection process began in February 2026, when the Executive Director Nomination Committee launched a global search with support from executive search firm Russell Reynolds Associates.

The committee assessed candidates through several rounds of interviews before narrowing the field to five. Oversight of the final phase has now shifted to the current leadership of the Global Fund Board.

The shortlisted candidates will meet board members at an upcoming board retreat. This will be followed by several weeks of engagement with board constituencies before the final decision.

Roslyn Morauta, chair of the Global Fund Board, thanked the nomination committee for conducting what she described as a rigorous, transparent and merit-based process.

"We have full confidence in the work undertaken to date and in the strong foundation it provides as we take the selection process forward,” she said.