Audacious and Inventive Thinking

Azhee is a specialist in data and information collection and provides analysis to advise on top market entry recommendations for new diagnostics. She brings more than 16 years of global health experience which has been fuelled by her resolve to facilitate equitable access to life-saving medicines and technologies to alleviate preventable deaths and diseases. Prior to this, she evaluated procurement and supply chain management of the Global Fund’s investments as an LFA PSM expert in Nigeria. At the Clinton Health Access Initiative, she tackled bottlenecks to commodities and services access in Nigeria, and similarly, provided market shaping and technical writing for the Global Drug Facility. She holds a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Wolverhampton, UK.

Christian Whiteboy is a seasoned pharmaceutical manufacturing professional with over 30 years’ experience withing the broader supply chain eco system. His expertise is in sourcing, scoping, planning, establishing greenfield operations and upgrades of existing manufacturing facility capability. He has managed and delivered on various initiatives in East & South Africa improving the value proposition through product reengineering and continuous improvement practices. He has worked with suppliers, developers and designers from Africa, Europe, China and India. His working experience is in multinationals & local manufacturers and has worked for Aspen Pharmacare, Adcock Ingram and has been consulting for 4 years. He is schooled in engineering, management and holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Reading, UK.

Courage Matiza has a decade of experience in global health, dedicated to building healthcare systems and improving health outcomes in Africa, Asia, and North America. He specializes in policy development, advocacy, financial strategies, data utilization, and program implementation. His career began as a research project manager at the African Institute of Biomedical Science and Technology. Subsequently, at World Congress, he convened C-suite executives from the US healthcare system, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology industry to exchange knowledge aimed at enhancing healthcare outcomes, particularly for marginalized communities. Courage worked at the Clinton Health Access Initiative, supporting their efforts in sexual reproductive health, maternal and neonatal health, tuberculosis, and health financing across Africa and Asia. Notably, he managed the Catalytic Opportunity Fund, championing government-led initiatives to increase access to contraceptives for adolescents and young women. Additionally, he lent his expertise to health systems strengthening initiatives, with a central focus on enhancing healthcare professionals' capacity to yield improved outcomes in maternal and neonatal health. He holds dual Bachelor's degrees in African History and Biophysics and Biochemistry from Amherst College, as well as a Master's degree in Global Health from the University of Edinburgh.

Dr. Sonia Osi Associate, Global Health A clinician by training, Sonia received her medical degree from the University of Debrecen, Hungary and was a front-line worker during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, she has an MSc in International Health Management obtained from the Imperial College Business School, London. As a Global Health Associate at Market Access Africa (MAA), Sonia supports clients by building their capabilities in several areas, including: market access, production introduction strategy, due diligence/feasibility assessments and stakeholder engagement. Her recommendations inform market launches for diagnostic and therapeutic products in Africa. Prior to joining MAA, Sonia garnered significant experience in working in various facets of the healthcare industry, as a clinician and as a healthcare consultant, in Hungary, the UK and Nigeria. Her experience includes working as a Strategy Analyst for the Anadach Group, a Healthcare Implementation Consultant for Utopian Consulting International and a Life Sciences Analyst for CBPartners.

Judy W Kanyugo is Head of Finance and Client Operations at Market Access Africa. Judy oversees the Finance and Operations functions and is a business partner to the senior leadership team. Judy is an experienced Finance professional with expertise in finance operations, strategic planning, forecasting and resource allocation. She has experience in talent management and operational excellence and has worked with multinational healthcare organizations, including Cepheid Diagnostics and Life Sciences as the Controller for Africa, Roche as Head of Finance Sub-Sahara Africa and GlaxoSmithKline as Finance Planning and Analysis Manager. Judy holds an MBA and a Bachelor of Commerce-Accounting from the University of Nairobi, is a Certified Public Accountant of Kenya (CPA, K) and Certified Public Secretary (CPS, K).

Kareem Adeniji specializes in market landscape research analysis to uncover supply and demand insights and provide market evaluations. His recommendations inform market launches for various point-of-care diagnostics tests and pharmaceutical products. Kareem worked with Tabade Pharmaceutical Chemists Limited for over a decade in various capacities including as the Managing Director, a Consultant on Pharmaceuticals, IVD and Biotech devices, and as a Clinical Pharmacist. In addition, he has been a Pharmacist at Boots in the UK. Kareem holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Science from Ulster University, a Master’s degree in Pharmacy from Cardiff University, and a MBA from the University of South Wales.

Kudzai is a Managing Partner at Market Access Africa. She has 15 years of experience in strategy, public affairs, and organizational leadership in the development sector. She specializes in helping public and third sector organizations develop compelling strategies, finance and scale social impact initiatives, and generate rigorous evidence to drive change. She served as Chief Operating Officer of Delta Philanthropies, and as the Founding Executive Director of the SADC Malaria Elimination 8—a regional ministerial collaboration to eliminate malaria in Africa. She also spent 6 years at the Clinton Health Access Initiative, overseeing regional programs in disease elimination and financing. Kudzai holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics and a Master’s in Public Administration from Harvard University; she is an Fellow of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Executive Programme in Global Health Leadership.

Kundai has vast expertise in laboratory systems, research, monitoring and evaluation, surveillance, quality improvement, data use, and health program management. She is the co-founder and Director of Operations at APEX Medical Laboratories. She served as the Director of Strategic Information and Evaluation at the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Prior to this, she was the Project Coordinator and Technical Advisor for the Howard University Technical Assistance Project. She started her career as a Biomedical Scientist at the African Institute of Biomedical Science and Technology, the University Of Zimbabwe Clinical research Centre and the Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Zimbabwe. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Medical Laboratory Sciences from University of Zimbabwe and a Master’s in Public Health specializing in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from the University of Liverpool.

Loice Kikwai, Ph.D., is the Regulatory Affairs Lead at Market Access Africa. She has over 18 years of expertise in pharmaceutical drug regulation and standardization. She has a background and proficiency in developing standards, evaluating policies and regulations, and educating on global pharmaceutical best practices at various regulatory authorities and industries in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. Dr. Kikwai's career spans roles at US Pharmacopeia, as a scientist II developing compendial standards, the US Food and Drug Authority (FDA), as a lead pharmacologist specialized in bioequivalence, and at LCK Pharmaceutical Consulting as a consultant specializing in regulatory affairs of generic drug products. Dr. Kikwai is a sought-after speaker at various global conferences that promote, harmonize and strengthen regulations for the safety, efficacy, and quality of generic pharmaceutical drug products. Dr. Kikwai holds a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Florida A&M University and a B.A. in Biology and Chemistry from Lincoln University, USA.

Marlene Musengi serves as a Senior Specialist for Pharmaceutical Development and Access. She is a focal team member for pharmaceutical access and local manufacturing initiatives. She provides expertise across the supply chain from her experience in procurement and sourcing, as well as distribution of pharmaceuticals in both the public and private sectors. Marlene has over a decade’s experience in the pharmaceutical sector. She served as Chief Buyer for NatPharm, Zimbabwe’s central medical stores and the mandated procurement agency for the Ministry of Health and Child Care, where she managed multi-million-dollar procurements of critical commodities, including antiretroviral medicines. Marlene also ha private sector experience in the product pipeline development and product introduction and distribution in Zimbabwe and the SADC region.

Nancy oversees the organization’s expanding diagnostics and medical devices project portfolio in the anglophone West Africa region. She is a specialist in delivering and driving sales strategies in the healthcare sector, and is skilled in building and retaining relationships with stakeholders and key opinion leaders in the industry. Prior to this, she was a Provider Account Manager at 54Gene, a Sales, Marketing, and Business Development Consultant at Dovaheights Dialysis Center, and a Key Accounts Management Team Lead at ISN Medical. Nancy has also worked as a Medical Laboratory Scientist at numerous facilities, including the Clina-Lancet laboratories, and the Brigade Medical Centre in Nigeria. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science from Imo State University and an MBA from Lagos Business School.

Newton contributes to the development of market strategies to promote health accessibility. He is a specialist in the optimization, adoption and utilization of safe, cost-effective and efficient diagnostic technologies in Africa. Prior to this, Newton was a Senior Technical Advisor at Bummhi, a Laboratory Specialist at the Center for International Health and Biosecurity, and a Consultant with EnCompass LLC in Zimbabwe. He started his career as a Medical Laboratory Scientist and a Logistics Specialist at the Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), and the Ministry of Health and Child Care in Zimbabwe. Newton holds a Bachelor’s degree in Medical Laboratory Sciences from the University of Zimbabwe, a Master’s degree in Philosophy in Development Practice from the University of Pretoria, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Procurement Logistics and Supply Chain Management from Salford University.

Olawale Ajose is a Managing Partner at Market Access Africa. Within this role he oversees expansion of the firm's capabilities in key strategic areas and, more broadly, ensures that the firm continues to meet the changing needs of its clients. Prior to this, Olawale was the Head of Access (NTD) at Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) and a Technical Officer at Unitaid. In addition, he served the Clinton Health Access Initiative as Global Deputy Director, Maternal and Newborn Health and as the Deputy Country Manager for the Tanzania office. Olawale is also the co-founder of AHC Barging, a logistics company in Lagos. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Cell Biology and Genetics from the University of Lagos and a Master of Public Health (MPH) from the University of Warwick. 

Pam Pillay is a Principal in Diagnostics and Laboratory Services within the Life Science cluster at Market Access Africa. As an experienced diagnostics healthcare professional with 9 years in the clinical & molecular pathology laboratory environment and 13+ years in the commercialising in vitro diagnostic products in public health channels and the private sector, she brings solid market intelligence, stakeholder relations and commercial strategy design. Prior to her joining MAA, Pam has served as the Global Product Manager for TB, HIV & CRP at LumiraDx, and the Marketing Director for HIV, TB & Syphilis in the African and Middle East region at Abbott Rapid Diagnostics. Additionally, Pam was the Area Sales Manager for South Africa and Botswana at Alere Inc.

Sarah Muthuri leads the development of the regulatory practice at Market Access Africa. She has over twenty years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry and was instrumental in the harmonization of regulatory guidelines across the African continent. She has also worked at the International Aids Vaccine Initiative and GlaxoSmithKline Limited, where she held positions in both the Clinical Research field and Regulatory Affairs. Her research lies in Malaria and HIV. Throughout her 20+ years in the Pharma industry, Sarah has been dedicated to ensuring that patients have access to safe and effective drugs. She has been instrumental in the harmonization of Regulatory Guidelines across the continent and takes great satisfaction in seeing a product she registered being dispensed to a patient. She holds a BSc in Chemistry and Biochemistry from Egerton University in Kenya and a Masters in Pharmaceutical Medicine from Hibernia College in Ireland. Additionally, Sarah has completed several leadership courses across Africa, including the Emerging African Leadership program (Stellenbosch University – South Africa) and a Women in Leadership Course (Strathmore University – Kenya).

Tendai Mvuvu is a Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Specialist with a strong background in public health. She has worked in the areas of global health with governments, researchers, and the private sector in Zimbabwe, Botswana, Tanzania and South Africa. Tendai has expertise in designing and implementing M&E frameworks, conducting evaluations, and analyzing data to assess the effectiveness of health programs. With a strong commitment to improving health outcomes, Tendai has contributed significantly to evidence-based decision-making and program improvement efforts in countries she has worked in. Previously, Tendai held roles as the Deputy Director for the Harvard Maternal Health Taskforce and as a Leadership Coach at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Prior to her tenure at Harvard, she served as a Researcher for the Averting Maternal Death & Disability (AMDD) program at Columbia University, where she pursued a Doctorate in Public Health (DrPH). Tendai holds an MPhil in Monitoring and Evaluation from Stellenbosch University, an MPA from Harvard University, an MPH from Africa University, and a BSc from the University of Zimbabwe.

Thierry Sonkoue is a MedTech expert who plays a pivotal role in introducing various medical innovations across West and Central Africa's markets. With over a decade of experience in business development, he has actively contributed to modernizing laboratories through automation and connectivity. Additionally, he has spearheaded numerous projects aimed at decentralizing healthcare services, facilitating the widespread adoption of Point-of-Care (POC) solutions. Prior to this, Thierry served in Côte d’Ivoire as the Head of Diagnostics & Medical Devices at Tridem Pharma, as well as the Area Business Manager for Central Africa, Guinea & Niger at bioMérieux. He also held the position of Sales Manager for Central Africa at Roche Diagnostics based in Cameroon. Thierry holds a Master's degree in Biochemistry from the University of Yaoundé I and a Master's degree in Sales & Marketing from the University of Montpellier.

Vinod Nair brings over 25 years of leadership experience in management and sales as a seasoned pharmaceutical executive. Formerly Sr. Vice President at Strides Pharma Science Limited, he excels in revitalizing companies across diverse global markets, driving substantial business growth in competitive landscapes. Vinod specializes in establishing and leading high-performance teams from inception, managing sales across 50+ countries in Africa, LATAM, South-East Asia, and CIS regions through tenders, distributors, and branded promotions. This includes managing global multi-cultural teams of up to 300 members and business of more than USD 100 Million. His achievements include licensing 10+ patented molecules from leading originators like Gilead and MSD, steering them from product identification to successful market launches worldwide. Vinod also spearheaded IT transformations towards paperless manufacturing at the African subsidiary and implementing Sales Force for managing sales and sales team. He holds an MBA in International Marketing from Fortune Institute of International Business, New Delhi

Zipporah Bundi is a highly skilled Healthcare and Medical Devices Specialist with a background in Biomedical Sciences and Infectious Diseases. She is currently a Senior Specialist Diagnostic & Medical Device Access at Market Access Africa and has more than fifteen years' experience offering strategic consultancy and advisory on Africa Health Market Access, Medical Diagnostics, Digital Health, Commercial Life Sciences, Capacity building, and Coaching Healthcare professionals in Africa. Her previous roles include working at Alere as the Regional Manager, Cardiometabolic & Toxicology; Tricog Health as General Manager; Zyomyx as Consultant Applications Specialist; and Becton Dickinson East Africa Limited as an Applications Specialist. Zipporah started her career as a Lab Technologist assistant at the Walter Reed Project Laboratories (US Army Medical Research Unit) in Kisumu, Kenya. She founded ROI Labs Africa, whose goal is to make healthcare more accessible and equitable, particularly for underserved and vulnerable populations. She is passionate about offering her expertise in re-imagining health in Africa and producing better health outcomes in solving the health problems faced globally. Zipporah holds a master's degree in Infectious Disease Diagnosis from Kenyatta University, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Science & Technology from Egerton University. She has undergone a program for women by Goldman Sach's on Entrepreneurship and Business Management at the United States International University - Nairobi.