Summit History

In early 2004, Lee Hartwell, then President of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, George F. Russell, Jr., then Chairman of The National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR), William H. Gates, Sr., Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Michael Birt, then Director of NBR's Center for Health and Aging, sketched out a vision for how emerging science and technology could link with global health policy to transform healthcare. They brainstormed on the need to prevent, detect, and treat illness early enough to drastically reduce the human and financial cost of disease, an intensely personal issue for each of them. Recognizing the lack of a forum that could truly bring all stakeholders, especially industry, to the same table, and believing strongly in conversation and direct dialogue as true catalysts for action and change, they conceived the initial plan to organize and host the Pacific Health Summit.

With that vision in mind, George Russell and Bill Gates, Sr., took on the combined role of co-chairs of the Summit's advisory group and provided the seed funding for the Pacific Health Summit. Michael Birt became the Executive Director of the Summit and built the Summit Secretariat team at NBR. Claire Topal, the Summit's Managing Director, now manages that team. Out of this initial foundation of leadership, the Summit has grown into one of the world's premier global health gatherings every year.

Building on Bill Gates Sr.'s strong personal support, in 2007 Tachi Yamada, then President of Global Health at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, took on a decisive leadership role and formally established the Foundation as the Summit's third co-presenting organization. Importantly, Tachi strongly advocated for the transition to a focused, annual theme, which has become a hallmark of the Summit. He was the 2011 Chair of the Summit's Executive Committee.

In 2008, the Wellcome Trust joined the Summit as the fourth official co-presenting organization, and Trust Director, Sir Mark Walport, joined our Executive Committee, serving as chair in 2010. Both Sir William Castell, Chairman of the Wellcome Trust, who has participated in the Summit since its first year, and Sir Mark provided crucial leadership as the Summit began its rotation in London for the annual meeting.

Lastly, Peter Neupert, Corporate Vice President for Health Solutions Strategy for Microsoft, and Craig Mundie, Chief Research and Strategy Officer of Microsoft, have consistently provided a welcome private sector voice to the Summit's strategic discussions. Peter serves on the Summit's Executive Committee.

The Summit is co-presented by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome Trust, and The National Bureau of Asian Research, which has served as Summit Secretariat since its founding.