Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation CEO Dr. Sue Desmond-Hellmann To Be Succeeded By Mark Suzman

By Annie Baker ● Dec 8, 2019
  • The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation CEO Dr. Sue Desmond-Hellmann is going to be succeeded by Mark Suzman starting on February 1, 2020

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation CEO Dr. Sue Desmond-Hellmann announced that she is stepping down from the foundation after more than five years working in the role. Going forward, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation president of Global Policy & Advocacy and chief strategy officer Mark Suzman will be the CEO of the foundation starting on February 1, 2020. Suzman originally joined the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2007.

Dr. Desmond-Hellmann decided to step away from working full-time at the foundation after concluding that she was unable to adequately meet the demands of the position while caring for her own health and needs of her family.

“This was without doubt the toughest decision of my career,” said Dr. Desmond-Hellmann in a statement. “But I felt I could no longer be the CEO the foundation needs and deserves at this vital time.”

Bill and Melinda Gates had both praised Desmond-Hellmann’s leadership and expressed gratitude for her work as she guided the foundation into its 20th year.

“Sue brought an incredible set of attributes to the foundation: scientific expertise, tested leadership skills, a passion for building a strong internal culture, and, above all, a dedication to the mission of making the world a healthier, more equal place,” explained Melinda Gates. “Whether we were sitting in a conference room in Seattle or spending time with farmers in southern Africa, I was always grateful for her perspective and her partnership. Our foundation is better for the fact that Sue walked through its doors five years ago, and I wish Sue and her family all the best.”

Dr. Desmond-Hellmann joined the foundation in 2014 after serving as the chancellor of the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). By training, Dr. Desmond-Hellmann is an oncologist and she treated and researched AIDS-related cancer in San Francisco and Uganda in the 1980s and early 1990s, and led the development of the first gene-targeted breast cancer drug—Herceptin—while president of Genentech. 

During her tenure at the foundation, Dr. Desmond-Hellmann oversaw the creation of the Gates Medical Research Institute — which is the world’s first nonprofit biotech organization as well as the launch of the Economic Mobility and Opportunity investment strategy in the US. Plus she also co-chairs the Post-Secondary Value Commission on how to calculate the return on investment of college especially for low-income students. 

“When Sue decided to step down, we felt lucky that we had a partner as proven and trusted as Mark ready to take on this role. Mark’s knowledge of the external policy and advocacy environment, his deep understanding of our programmatic priorities, and his personal commitment to tackling inequality are just some of the reasons why we were excited that he will be the foundation’s next CEO. After working closely with Mark for more than a decade, we know what an asset he is to the foundation, and I’m eager to see all that he will accomplish in the years ahead,” added Melinda Gates.

One of the hallmarks of Dr. Desmond-Hellmann’s tenure has been her focus on the importance of management and succession planning. And she also strengthened the authority, accountability, and decision-making practices of the foundation’s leadership teams and focused on improving culture, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

“Sue’s commitment to innovation and continuous improvement at the foundation will be just a part of her enduring legacy,” commented Bill Gates. “Her extraordinary leadership over the past five and a half years has seen both the launch of the Gates Medical Research Institute and the expansion of our work to examine poverty and economic mobility in the United States, among many other achievements. I want to personally thank Sue for her dedication, and to wish her the very best as she steps away to focus on health and family.”

Suzman — who is a native of South Africa — joined the foundation in 2007 as director of Global Development Policy & Advocacy and became president of Global Policy & Advocacy in 2012. Then he took on the additional responsibilities of the foundation’s first chief strategy officer in 2016. As president, Suzman helped build and manage the foundation’s growing global presence in Europe, Africa, India, and China along with overseeing all government relations, philanthropic partnerships, and strategic communications in the US and globally. And as chief strategy officer, he led an overhaul of the foundation’s approach to developing and measuring strategic priorities.

Prior to joining the foundation, Suzman worked in multiple positions at the United Nations, including senior advisor for policy and strategic communications in the Office of Secretary-General Kofi Annan and policy director at the United Nations Development Program. Before that, he was a correspondent for the Financial Times, serving in Johannesburg, London, and Washington, D.C. 

“It is an incredible honor and privilege to lead the Gates Foundation,” stated Suzman. “I’m deeply grateful to Bill and Melinda for their faith in me and to Sue for her dedicated leadership and strong mentorship over the past five years. As we look ahead, I’m humbled and excited by the opportunity to advance our important mission to help ensure everyone in the U.S. and around the world has the chance to lead a healthy and productive life.”

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation aims to help all people lead healthy and productive lives. And it focuses on improving people’s health in order to give them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. Dr. Desmond-Hellmann was the foundation’s third CEO after Jeff Raikes and Patty Stonesifer. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation gave out more than $50 billion in grants since it launched and Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett is a trustee.