Dr. Thakker is an award winning medical doctor, entrepreneur and health sector champion. Recognized as an impactful figure in the healthcare industry, Dr. Thakker has received several accolades: awarded the chairman s award by the Kenya Medical Association; best male entrepreneur of the year by Rotary International and regional winner in the business and professional services category by Titans: Building Nations CEO Global. A Bachelor s in Medicine and Surgery graduate from the University of Nairobi (Kenya), Dr. Thakker is the founder of Africa Health Business (AHB) a company that propagates the healthcare business in Africa and also facilitates the annual Africa Health Business Symposium (AHBS) that engages multi-sectoral stakeholders to strategize on overcoming health care challenges in Africa through public private partnerships. An Executive MBA holder from National Insurance Academy (India), Dr. Thakker has spearheaded the establishment of medical and primary health organizations in various developing countries such as Kenya, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Rwanda, Nigeria and Tanzania. A much sought-after global speaker and strategic adviser, Dr. Thakker sits on a number of boards including the EEIG Board- Germany (European Center of Expertise of the Healthcare Industry), AMREF Flying Doctors (Kenya) and Seven Seas Technologies. He has and continues to provide high level advisory and consultancies to development partners such as World Bank, PharmAccess, GIZ, German Healthcare Partnership, and Global Fund among others. Dr Amit N. Thakker Chairman - Africa Healthcare Federation Founder and Board Director - East Africa Healthcare Federation Chairman - Kenya Healthcare Federation Co-Founder - Avenue Healthcare. Also involved in the private sector, Dr. Thakker served as board member and later chairman of the Kenya Healthcare Foundation (KHF)- the health sector arm of the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA). Today, he is recognized for his strategic counsel roles with Africa Medical Investments, Momentum Africa, Aetna Incorporated, Acacia Medical Center, Guru Nanak Hospital and Humming Health. Currently the UNFPA s Co-chair of the Private Sector Advisory Panel and a Board Member of the Eastern Africa Association, Dr. Thakker has completed health leadership training from George Washington University, USA. Other previously held positions include vice chairman of the Public Private Partnership Health Kenya and Private Sector Adviser for Funzo Kenya - Intrahealth International.
A veteran educationist, Ms. Nthenge works for the International Baccalaureate Organization (IB) as the Head of IB World Schools department based in the IB s global center in the Hague, Netherlands. She is responsible for the development and implementation of school improvement strategy for IB World Schools. Ms.Nthenge had worked in the field of international education for the last 20 years. Prior to joining the IB in 2011, Fidelis spent 14 years with the Aga Khan Education Services in East Africa where she was the Head of their two IB schools in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. She holds a Masters degree in Environmental Science from Kenyatta University (Nairobi) and has also completed educational leadership training from Harvard University Graduate Schools of Education. Fidelis Nthenge International Baccalaureate, Netherlands Head of IB World Schools
A passionate and avid speaker on matters Universal Health Coverage Dr. Githinji is the Chief Executive Officer for AMREF Health Africa. He began his career at Madison Insurance, Kenya as the Manager for Medical Services before moving to GlaxoSmithKline Ltd (Kenya) as the Group Product Manager for Africa and Middle East. He has also worked at Nation Media Group as Managing Director of Monitor Publications (Uganda) and General Manager (marketing and circulation). Until his appointment at AMREF Health Africa, Dr. Githinji served as the Vice President and Regional Director for Africa at Smile Train International where he was recognized for his significant contribution through the establishment of partnerships for long-term sustainability with various African governments and relevant institutions. A member of the Africa CDC Private Sector Advisory Board and the World Health Organization s Community Health Worker Hub, Dr. Githinji holds a Bachelor s degree in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Nairobi (Kenya) as well as a Masters in Business Administration from the United States International University. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Standard Group and holds member positions across AMREF Health Africa offices in Africa. Dr. Githinji has spoken extensively on Universal Health Care on continental and global forums such as the KMA Annual Scientific Conference, the World Health Assembly on the role of CHWs in achieving UHC and WHA goals, the Africa Health Agenda International Conference among others. Dr. Gitahi Githinji Group CEO - AMREF Health Africa
Tosh Juma has spent the last ten years creating innovative product experiences for bottom of the pyramid audiences in agriculture, education and the finance sector. He is the Managing Director of IDEO.org non-profit design institution on a mission to improve the lives of people in vulnerable communities. At the same time, he is the Founder of Nairobi Design Institute (NDI) an academy that nurtures creative leadership through design education. Prior to his currently role, Tosh worked as a creative lead with Dalberg Design where he brought human-centered design innovation services to the international development field in areas such as: global health, access to finance and food security. In 2015, Tosh founded Watungaji design studio where he sought to bring together leading design teams with the intent of influencing user perceptions and behaviour. His highlights before the venture into design consultancy include service with the Innovation Hub of Nairobi (ihub) as manager as well as stints with renowned institutions in Kenya and Netherlands. Tosh has completed a creative leadership program from THNK School of Creative Leadership. He brings a wealth of expertise in human-centered design innovation. Tosh Juma Managing Director- IDEO.org Founder- Nairobi Design Institute (NDI)
Speaker Profile 1st ASBC Conference 19 21 February 2019 Colin has been Tanzania Country Director of BBC Media Action (the BBC s international development charity) since January 2014. The Tanzania office currently has forty-five staff and a portfolio of media-for-development projects in the spheres of governance, health and resilience. Its media content reaches over 9 million adults and youth across the country through the BBC Swahili service, local radio partners and social media. Previously, Colin led Loy9 a high-profile multimedia youth civic education project in Cambodia. Prior to that he was based in the BBC in London as Senior Projects Manager for Asia where he supported debate and livelihoods projects in Bangladesh and a humanitarian radio intervention during catastrophic flooding in Pakistan. Colin holds an M.A. in International Relations from University of St. Andrews (Scotland). Before joining the BBC, he worked for eleven years in community development, aid, and conflict resolution in Central and South Asia. He was a Jones Scholar in 1996/7 at the University of Emory where he studied acting and directing and was awarded a Rotary Peace Fellowship in 2005 which supported him to study at UC Berkeley and at the University of Queensland, receiving an Advanced Masters in Peace and Conflict Studies. Colin Spurway Country Director- Tanzania BBC Media Action
Siddharth Chatterjee Sid is the United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator for Kenya since 26 August 2016. Until this appointment, Sid has been serving as the UNFPA Representative for Kenya. At UNFPA, Sid and his team spearheaded efforts to reduce the unacceptably high maternal deaths in Kenya putting the spotlight on the challenges faced by adolescent girls, including child marriage, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and sexual and gender based violence. Before he joined UNFPA in 2014, he served as the Chief Diplomat and Head of Strategic Partnerships and Resource Mobilization at the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) since 2011. Previously he has served in the UN since January 1997. Most of his career has been spent working in fragile states and complex emergencies. From 2009 to 2010, he was Regional Director for the Middle East, Europe and Central Asian Republics at the United Nations Office of Project Services. He was Chief of Staff to the Special Representative of the Secretary General for the UN Mission in Iraq. He has also served in leadership positions in UNICEF offices in Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan (Darfur), Indonesia and with the UN Peace Keeping Operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Iraqi Kurdistan. His early career was in a Special Forces Unit of the Indian Army, where he was decorated in 1995 for bravery by the President of India. A TED x speaker, Sid writes extensively on humanitarian and development issues in a variety of journals such as CNN, Al Jazeera, Forbes, the Guardian, the Huffington Post, Reuters, the Global Observatory and mainstream Kenyan and Indian journals. Siddharth Chatterjee United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator - Kenya He was profiled by Forbes magazine in an article titled, Passionate Leader of UNFPA Kenya Battles Violence against Women FGM and Child Marriage He holds a Masters degree in Public Policy from the Woodrow Wilson School for Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, USA and a Bachelor of Sciences from the National Defense Academy in India. Sid is married and they have a son.