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Adcock Ingram executive joins board of international NPO

Kofi Amegashie, Adcock Ingram Managing Executive for Africa, is one of four international business executives to be elected to the board of PATH, an American-based Non-Profit Organisation (NPO). The announcement was made end January and highlighted the importance of the global experience and international expertise in strategic business management, global health and public-private partnerships of the successful candidates.

'I am greatly honoured to be invited to join an organisation making such a significant contribution to world health. Originating from a focus on reproductive health, PATH has expanded its reach in to more than 70 countries. The current focus of the organization is on improving the health and saving the lives of women and children in the world’s poorest places. PATH’s mission is to improve the health of people around the world by advancing technology, strengthening systems and encouraging healthy behaviours,' says Amegashie.

;Although I didn’t start out in the health sector, my time with Adcock Ingram in Africa has opened my eyes to the huge need and challenges that face us there. Much of the disease burden on the continent can be directly linked to inadequate infrastructure development. The vast majority of people on our continent live in poor infrastructure environments with compromised hygiene.

'I embrace the philosophy of PATH that health is in reach of everyone, no matter where they live. I greatly look forward to working with this prestigious organisation and really making a difference', concluded Amegashie.

Amegashie has broad career experience in marketing, strategy, business planning and implementation. His experience spreads across a number of industries and continents such as The Coca-Cola Company in Nigeria, the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank Group in Africa and the Chevron Group in Asia. He has a Master of Science in Management from the London Business School and a Bachelor of Science Degree from Exeter University.

Commenting on the expertise that he can bring to the table, Amegashie says, 'The challenge that the organisation faces is that of ‘scale-up’. PATH is good at nurturing really innovative stuff but then they need to take it to the broader population and work with communities, governments, other NGOs and stakeholders to spread the benefits. It is this challenge that I look forward to and hope to be able to use my operational experience in emerging markets, and especially health, to help move things along.'

Dr George Gotsadze, chair of PATH’s board of directors, welcomed the addition of the four new board members in a press statement on the organisation’s website. The others elected are David King, chairman and chief executive of the Laboratory Corporation of America, one of the world’s largest networks of clinical laboratories, Dr Felix Olale, executive chairman of the Excelsior Group, a corporate advisory and capital placement company based in New York, and Raj Vattikuti, founder of the Vattikuti Foundation which focuses on the southeast Michigan community and poverty alleviation in India, amongst other initiatives.

  About Adcock Ingram

Adcock Ingram is a leading South African pharmaceutical manufacturer, listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange with a market capitalisation of more than R12billion.

Adcock Ingram manufactures, markets and distributes a wide range of healthcare products. The company is a leading supplier to both the private and public sectors of the market.

Adcock Ingram is a level 3 B-BBEE contributor

Expansion in to emerging markets has given the company a presence in sub-Saharan Africa and India.

www.adcock.com

For further information contact:
Vicki St Quintin
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