Ann Aerts

Dr Ann Aerts
Head of the Novartis Foundation

Ann Aerts has been Head of the Novartis Foundation since January 2013. During this time, she has been responsible for heading an organization committed to having a transformational and sustainable impact on the health of people in low-income communities. Most recently, the Novartis Foundation has focused – under Ann’s leadership – on how artificial intelligence and data science can transform health and care around the world.

Ann holds a Degree in Medicine and a Masters in Public Health from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and a Degree in Tropical Medicine from the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium.

In 2014, PharmaVOICE nominated Ann as one of the 100 Most Inspiring People in the life science industry. Ann has authored numerous publications. She co-chairs the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development Working Group on Digital Health – which since 2019 has focused on AI – and is a member of the Governing Council of the UN Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries and the International Advisory Board of the Commonwealth Centre for Digital Health. Ann is committed to overcoming global health inequities and currently sits on the US NAM Committee on Healthy Longevity and sat on the US NASEM Committee on Quality of Care in 2017-2018.

Before heading the Novartis Foundation, Ann was Franchise Medical Director Critical Care for Novartis Pharma in Basel and Therapeutic Area Head Cardiovascular and Metabolism for Novartis Pharma Belgium. Prior to joining Novartis, she served as Director of the Lung and Tuberculosis Association in Belgium, as Head of the Health Services Department of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Geneva. She has also served as Health Coordinator for the ICRC in several countries.

For more information on the Novartis Foundation:
www.novartisfoundation.org
www.youtube.com/novartisfoundation