Structure
& governance
The Africa Health Research Institute’s executive director leads the institute and oversees its scientific programmes, assisted by four directors who lead AHRI’s broad research areas: basic and translational science, clinical trials, implementation science, and population science. AHRI’s COO, CFO and other members of the executive assist with strategic oversight of operations.
Leadership
Willem Hanekom
Executive director
Professor Willem Hanekom is a clinician-scientist who trained in medicine and paediatrics in South Africa and in paediatric infectious disease and research immunology in the USA. He is a renowned TB vaccine expert, having directed the South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative before leading the TB vaccine group at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Here he developed and implemented the foundation’s first comprehensive TB vaccine strategy, which resulted in major breakthroughs in TB vaccine discovery and development. Willem has >200 publications and has been awarded competitive funding by most prominent agencies. He is the previous chair of both the South African Immunology Society and the Federation of African Immunology Societies and is a member of multiple international advisory committees in tuberculosis, vaccinology and translational immunology.
Thumbi Ndung’u
Director for basic and translational science
Professor Thumbi Ndung'u is an eminent HIV scientist who has made important contributions in the field of HIV vaccine and pathogenesis research. His research programme at AHRI is focussed on understanding how HIV and TB persist and replicate in the face of a hostile host immune system – with the goal of aiding the design of a safe, affordable and effective HIV-1 vaccine or effective immune-based therapies. Thumbi has a special interest in capacity building for biomedical research in Africa, primarily through the Sub-Saharan African Network for TB/HIV Research Excellence (SANTHE) programme, based at AHRI. He is a Max Planck Society Group Leader and holds a professorship at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Limakatso Lebina
Director for clinical trials
Associate professor Limakatso Lebina is a clinician and an experienced researcher, who has managed multiple clinical trials and implementation science research studies on HIV, TB, and Covid-19 prevention and treatment. Her work on TB was used to revise the TB screening guidelines in South Africa, while the results from an HIV self-testing demonstration project which she led influenced the South African national guidelines on HIV self-screening. Limakatso was the lead writer for the South African HIV, TB and STIs National Strategic Plan 2023-2028. She holds positions on multiple public health policy think tanks, task teams and networks. She has a medical degree from the University of Cape Town (UCT), a masters in public health from the University of Liverpool, and a PhD in public health from UCT.
Maryam Shahmanesh
Director for implementation science
AHRI director for implementation science Professor Maryam Shahmanesh is a clinician-scientist whose research interests lie in the interdisciplinary space between social science, clinical medicine and epidemiology. After graduating in medicine from Cambridge University, Maryam completed her specialist training in sexual health and HIV medicine in London. Her academic training includes a degree in social and political science, a masters in epidemiology and a PhD in clinical epidemiology. Maryam is an AHRI executive committee member, a member of AHRI faculty, an associate professor in clinical epidemiology at the UCL Institute for Global Health, and a clinician at the Mortimer Market Centre. At AHRI, she leads a large programme of work to develop and evaluate complex sexual health and HIV prevention interventions for adolescents and young adults. In addition to her research, Maryam is actively involved in postgraduate teaching and supervision.
Kobus Herbst
Director for population science
Dr Kobus Herbst is a public health specialist. In the early 1990s, he contributed to the establishment of the post-apartheid health system through the development and implementation of ReHMIS (Regional Health Management Information System), the first computerised public health care facility inventory in South Africa. Prior to AHRI's formation, Kobus was deputy director of the Africa Centre and also led its demographic surveillance programme. As director for population science, Kobus is a member of AHRI’s executive committee and a member of faculty. He is also director of the South African Population Research Infrastructure Network (SAPRIN) at the SAMRC, a large investment by the Department of Science and Technology to integrate health and demographic surveillance sites in the country into a common population research infrastructure.
Pinkie Mekgwe
Chief operating officer
Dr Pinkie Mekgwe’s executive and academic career has spanned Africa, Europe, and Asia. Before joining AHRI in 2021, she was senior regional advisor for Africa and West Asia at the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance. She has also held executive positions at the University of Johannesburg and the University of Botswana. She was previously a visiting researcher at the Wits Institute of Social and Economic Research, at Malmö University in Sweden, and was a lecturer at the University of Botswana for over a decade. Pinkie holds a PhD in literary theory and gender studies and a masters in critical theory from the University of Sussex, as well as a BA from the University of Botswana.
Xabisa Dyosi
Chief financial officer
Xabisa Dyosi joined AHRI in 2020 from the University of Pretoria (UP), where she held the position of deputy director: finance from 2016. Prior to this, she was the financial manager: residences and manager: faculty accountants at the university, and audit manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers. She holds a BCom accounting sciences and BCom (Hons) accounting sciences as well as a postgraduate diploma in integrated reporting from UP. Xabisa did her chartered accountant (CA) articles at PricewaterhouseCoopers and qualified as a CA in 2009. At AHRI, she leads the strategic financial planning, financial record keeping and reporting, and the management of financial risks.
Nhlanhla Qwabe
Chief HR officer
Nhlanhla Qwabe has 25 years of experience as a human resources practitioner, with 15 of these at an executive level at multinationals such as MultiChoice, Nike, Aspen Pharmacare Holdings, and MTN. In 2018 he founded Muntamu HR Services, an HR consulting practice which he led until joining AHRI in 2021. Nhlanhla holds a Bachelor of Administration honours from the University of Zululand and a Master of Business Administration from the Milpark Business School. As AHRI's chief HR officer, he leads on the institute’s internal mission to transform into a supportive and values-driven team, inspired to achieve scientific excellence.
Munyadziwa Rabambi
Chief advancement officer
Munyadziwa Rabambi is a communication and stakeholder relations management practitioner with over 20 years of local and international experience in academia, non-governmental organisations, and the public and private sectors leading comms and stakeholder relations programmes as strategic assets for development. She joined AHRI in 2021 from Illovo Sugar Africa, where she led the stakeholder engagement and communication strategy execution for the group and its businesses in six countries in Africa. Munya holds an MPhil in communication management from the University of Pretoria. She is a trustee and one the founding members of the Kwasa Education and Skills Trust (KWEST), which mobilises funding to assist high school learners from vulnerable homes access skills development opportunities.
Board of directors
AHRI is governed by a board of directors composed of outstanding scientific and global health leaders. The board meets twice a year and is tasked with reviewing and authorising major institute decisions.
Board of Directors
Mike Sathekge
Chairperson
Professor Mike Sathekge is head of the nuclear medicine department at University of Pretoria and Steve Biko Academic Hospital. He also heads the South African Nuclear Medicine Research Infrastructure (NuMeRI). An internationally acclaimed researcher, he has performed several of the first-in-human studies and introduced peptide receptor radionuclide therapy and peptide radiology and therapy in Africa, as well as scientific studies for prostate cancer. He is the recipient of several key awards for research and service, including the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) Presidential Award. He additionally has editorial roles on several journals, is the president-elect of the World Association of Radiopharmaceuticals and Molecular Therapy, and serves as director on the Adcock Ingram board.
Mosa Moshabela
Professor Mosa Moshabela is associate professor and acting deputy vice chancellor of research and innovation at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). He is a chief medical specialist in family medicine and primary healthcare. He also holds a doctorate in public health, with a specific focus on health systems and policy research. Prof Moshabela is a former dean in the School of Nursing and Public Health at UKZN and is a member of multiple global commissions on health. He is the chairperson of the standing committee on health in the Academy of Science of South Africa. He is an advisor to the Department of Health, provincially through the ‘war room’ for Covid-19 in KwaZulu-Natal, and nationally through the technical working group of the Ministerial Advisory Committee.
Terence Nombembe
Terence Nombembe is head of investigation for South Africa’s judicial commission of inquiry into state capture. He served as the auditor-general of South Africa from 2006 to 2013, and prior to this held the position of deputy auditor-general and chief executive officer (CEO) for six years. Most recently, he was CEO of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants. His contribution to the accounting and auditing profession includes participation in some of the most prestigious global professional bodies, including the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board. He is currently a board member of the South African Reserve Bank; an advisory board member of the University of South Africa, School of Governance; and a council member of the Gauteng Ethics and Advisory Council.
Prof Mark Emberton
Deputy Chair
Professor Mark Emberton is professor of interventional oncology at University College London. He is an honorary consultant urologist at University College Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and founding pioneer of the charity Prostate Cancer UK. He was appointed dean of UCL faculty of medical sciences in 2015. His principal interests lie in trying to improve diagnostic and therapeutic pathways for men with prostate cancer, principally through the use of novel imaging techniques and minimally-invasive treatments.
Getty Simelane
Lead independent director
Getty Simelane is the AHRI board's lead independent director. She serves as a non-executive director on several public and private sector companies. She has over 20 years’ experience in human resources in various industries at executive level. She is registered as a master human resources practitioner (generalist) and HR auditor with the South African Board for People Practices. She is a fellowship member of the Institute of Directors in Southern Africa and an accredited Sirdar Governance Panelist.
Faith Kobo
Faith Kobo is an accomplished South African risk management professional with over 18 years of industry experience in corporate governance, risk management and compliance. She has substantial experience in public sector risk management and has worked in the office of the accountant-general at national treasury. She is an associate member of the Institute of Risk Management South Africa and founding CEO of Kobzit Consulting (Pty) Ltd. Ms Kobo is a certified sangoma and traditional medicine practitioner. She is also pursuing a degree in African traditional medicine at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Nelson Sewankambo
Professor Nelson Sewankambo is a professor of internal medicine and former principal of Makerere University College of Health Sciences, an external member of US National Academy of Medicine, a fellow of African Academy of Sciences, and The World Academy of Sciences. Prof Sewankambo was among the first scientists to publish data on Aids in Africa and is a researcher of the Rakai Health Sciences programme, founded 30 years ago. He has served on numerous local and international advisory committees and boards. These include the Working Party on the Ethics of Clinical Research in Developing Countries of the Nuffield Council for Bioethics, the Joint Learning Initiative, the WHO African Advisory Committee on Health and Research Development, and the board of the International Clinical Epidemiology Network.
McLean Sibanda
Dr McLean Sibanda is currently managing director: Bigen Global Limited (Mauritius), a leading multinational infrastructure solutions provider in a variety of sectors. Before that he led The Innovation Hub as CEO for seven and half years. Dr Sibanda is an engineer by first training but also a qualified patent attorney and attorney. He practiced with one of the leading intellectual property (IP) firms in South Africa, before co-founding Sibanda & Zantwijk attorneys where he was a partner until February 2019. He has a wealth of experience in the fields of IP, investment management, innovation, business planning and start-up industries. He has worked in senior and executive-level roles in the private and public sectors in South Africa, and has served on numerous board committees and boards.