A Kenya - U.S. Free Trade Agreement

Catherine (Cat) Robinson is Director for Global Trade Policy and International Government Affairs. In this role, she develops, aligns, and executes comprehensive strategies to leverage governments, foreign embassies, trade associations, and other stakeholders to support Pfizer’s priorities across the globe.

Prior to joining Pfizer, Cat worked for Amgen, the National Association of Manufacturers, the U.S. Congress Committee on Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee, and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development in Geneva. She lives in Washington DC with her husband, daughter, and dog.

Kaakpema, who goes by “KP,” is the CEO and Founder of access.mobile International. He is an entrepreneur and public health practitioner with a deep understanding of health systems and over 15 years of experience working across the public and private sectors in the United States, East and West Africa, and the Caribbean. He is an expert in national scale health program implementation, technology innovation and the intersection of health and technology policy.

Prior to founding access.mobile in 2011, KP worked at Dalberg Global Development Advisors and served as one of the early employees of the Clinton Health Access Initiative. He serves on the Yale School of Public Health Leadership Council, COVID Check Colorado Advisory Board, American Hospital Association Rural Health Insights Leadership Forum, and the Expert Council of Axios International. He has taught at the University of Denver’s Josef Korbel School of International Studies and was appointed to and served on the Governor of Colorado’s Small Business Council.

KP is recognized internationally for developing mobile health engagement solutions and for translating digital health innovations and learnings across markets. He is a regular speaker in international forums and has been featured in media outlets including CNN, CNBC, and NPR. KP holds an MPH from the Yale School of Public Health and a BA with Honors from Brown University.

Biju Mohandas is currently the Head - Health and Education, Sub-Saharan Africa, at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector investment arm of the World Bank Group.

Biju is an emerging markets investor with close to two decades of investing, operating and leadership experience spanning 20 countries in Asia and Sub Saharan Africa. Invested across diverse sectors - healthcare, education, agribusinesses, financial services, food and nutrition, pharmaceuticals and medical technology.

With a Track record of establishing operations in new markets for investors, recruiting & leading investment teams, swiftly sourcing deals, deploying capital & securing profitable exits. Biju is also director, mentor & advisor on boards of more than 20 companies, startups and not for profits. He has worked closely with founders, management teams & co-investors to develop strategy, raise capital and achieve rapid organic & inorganic growth. With this experience comes a unique track record of using deep relationships in India and Africa as well as North America and Europe to stitch together cross border transactions involving M&As /JVs between global and emerging markets companies. He is one of the earliest professionals to join the impact investing space in EMs a decade ago with a leadership role at pioneering Impact Investor at Acumen Fund. Biju has been with the IFC - one of the world’s largest development finance institutions since 2012. His role at the IFC brings a unique perspective on what it takes to deliver commercial returns while achieving development impact.

Education:
Brighton University, Bachelor’s Degree in Pharmacy- B. Pharm (Hons). Majored in Pharmaceutics and manufacturing.

London Business School, Accelerated Development Program.

Experience:
• Charing Cross Hospital
• Regent Laboratories
• Upjohn Laboratories
• Cadila Laboratories
• Cosmos Ltd since 1985. Worked in operations and now the Managing Director since 2016.

Cosmos Ltd is one of the largest Pharmaceutical Manufacturers in East Africa. Cosmos makes Branded and Generic Pharmaceutical products for both Human and Veterinary use, supplying products to various organizations such as Governments and NGOs, as well as to the private sector. Cosmos has worked closely with various International Organizations like Clinton Health and Access Initiatives.

Memberships:
o Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain
o Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya
o Previous Chapter Chair Young Presidents Organization (YPO) Nairobi Chapter
o Previous Chapter Chair World Presidents Organization (WPO) Nairobi Chapter
o Member of the Supply Chain Committee of Kenya Health Federation.
o Presently the Vice Chair of the Federation of Kenyan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers.

Mr Willy Soriney is the Chairperson, Kenya Association of Pharmaceutical Industry (KAPI).

He is a tenured professional in the pharma industry with rich experience from leading biopharmaceutical companies.

A visionary entrepreneur and an industry captain, Dr. Amit N. Thakker, has been a groundbreaking pioneer in the integration of private sector within the health system in Africa. Dr. Thakker actively supports governments, corporates, health organisations and development partners to foster effective Public Private Partnership initiatives towards improved health outcomes.

He is the Executive Chairman of Africa Health Business, President of Africa Healthcare Federation, Chairman of the Kenya Healthcare Federation and currently serves as a Director with LumiraDx & Ghanima Limited.

As an active member of several institutions including international business group YPO Gold (Nairobi Chapter), Dr. Thakker also chairs the University of Nairobi Alumni Medical Chapter and serves as an advisor to Asia Africa Investing & Consulting ltd.

Dr. Thakker founded Avenue Healthcare, a Kenyan based integrated private health service provider in 1995 which led him to receive the “Best Male Entrepreneur of the Year”award by Rotary International in 1999. He also won the “Best CEO”award by Titans Global in the Business & Professional Services category in 2017 and proudly received the Chairman’s Awar by the Kenya Medical Association in 2004.

Africa Health Business is an African health consultancy, advisory and investment firm that aims to improve access to quality affordable healthcare in Africa.