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Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Director-General of the World Health Organization (since 2017)
The first African to lead the WHO — through the worst pandemic in a century.
The rise
A malaria researcher and former Ethiopian health and foreign minister, Tedros was elected in 2017 as the WHO's first African Director-General.
What they did
He steered the global health body through the COVID-19 pandemic, becoming a relentless voice for vaccine equity between rich and poor nations.
The full picture
The WHO drew heavy criticism over its early pandemic response and great-power pressures, testing his leadership under a global spotlight.
Why it matters
Tedros put global health equity — and Africa's voice in it — at the centre of world affairs.
“No one is safe until everyone is safe.”