Speakers

Dame Sally Davies was appointed as the UK Government’s Special Envoy on AMR in 2019. She is also the 40th Master of Trinity College, Cambridge University.  

Dame Sally was the Chief Medical Officer for England and Senior Medical Advisor to the UK Government from 2011-2019. She is a leading figure in global health, having served as a member of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Executive Board 2014-2016, and as co-convener of the United Nations Inter-Agency Co-ordination Group (IACG) on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), reporting in 2019. In November 2020, Dame Sally was announced as a member of the new UN Global Leaders Group on AMR, serving alongside Heads of State, Ministers and prominent figures from around the world to advocate for action on AMR. 

In the 2020 New Year Honours, Dame Sally became the second woman (and the first outside the Royal family) to be appointed Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) for services to public health and research, having received her DBE in 2009. 

Professor Lord Ara Darzi of Denham is the Executive Chair of the Fleming Initiative – a global movement to combat antimicrobial resistance under the patronage of HRH Prince William the Prince of Wales.

Professor Darzi is also Director of the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College London and holds the Paul Hamlyn Chair of Surgery. He serves as a Consultant Surgeon at Imperial College NHS Trust and the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust. Professor Darzi also chairs the NHS Accelerated Access Collaborative and is Executive Chair of both the World Innovation Summit for Health and the Pre-emptive Health & Medicine Initiative at Flagship Pioneering.

As a former Minister for Health in the United Kingdom, Professor Darzi has championed healthcare reform and has innovative policy to improve patient outcomes. Most recently, he led both the Independent Review of the NHS and the Future State of Health commissioned by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.

Professor Darzi was knighted in 2002 and introduced as Lord Darzi of Denham to the House of Lords in 2007. He was appointed to His Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council in 2009 and awarded the prestigious Order of Merit in 2016.

Hon. Julia Gillard AC served as the 27th Prime Minister of Australia (2010-13) and is a longstanding advocate for gender equity through her work with the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership. She is currently Chair of the Wellcome Trust, one of the world’s largest philanthropic organisations funding science to solve urgent health challenges. A passionate supporter of science and international collaboration, Julia brings a unique perspective to the AMR 2026 Summit.

Rosemary Addis is a globally recognised director and strategist at the forefront of innovation and investment for impact. She has led design and execution of ground-breaking investment vehicles, policy and pioneering organisations shaping market transformation for a more positive, sustainable future. 

Rosemary founded Mondiale Impact in 2022 with colleagues to support and challenge leaders in boardrooms and beyond to confront the new governance realities of our complex cotemporary context. She founded strategy firm Impact Strategist in 2003 and has advised and led on ground breaking strategies with clients including the World Banking Group, United Nations Development Programme, OECD Social Impact Investing Initiative, the World Economic Forum, governments and from major banks to institutional investors, corporations and foundations. 

Erin Duffy is the Chief of Research & Development at CARB-X. CARB-X is a global biopharmaceutical accelerator for the discovery and early development of products to prevent, diagnose and treat bacterial infections. Most of her professional growth was with Melinta Therapeutics (founded as Rib-X Pharmaceuticals) where ultimately she became EVP, Chief Scientific Officer and R&D site head.  Her entry into the pharmaceutical sector began with Pfizer Central Research.  Erin’s formal training was in chemistry at Yale University.

Jane Halton is Chair of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, and Ngamuru Advisory. She serves on the boards of Vet Partners, ASPI, Clayton Utz, and the Australian Film, Television and Radio School. Her previous roles include Chair of Suncorp Bank, Crown Resorts, and co-chair of the Global COVAX mechanism. A former Secretary of both the Department of Health and Department of Finance, Jane has deep expertise in public policy, finance, health, and ageing. Internationally, she has held senior roles with the World Health Organization and chaired the OECD Health Committee. She is an Honorary Professor at ANU and Adjunct Professor at the Universities of Sydney and Canberra. Jane has contributed significantly to public health, including tobacco control and communicable disease, and has received numerous honours including the Order of Australia and election to the US National Academy of Medicine.

Fiona Reynolds is an independent director and advisory board member working globally across the business and investor sectors on sustainability issues.

Fiona Reynolds joined FAIRR in 2024 as President. In this strategic advisory role, Fiona draws on her vast experience to help further increase the initiative’s impact in the broader ecosystem of investors, funders, and partners.

Fiona has been recognised as one of the top 20 influential figures in global sustainability by Barron’s magazine.

Fiona led the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) as CEO for almost a decade until early 2022.

She is the Chair of the UN Global Compact Network Australia and serves on the Board of Frontier Advisors, the Australian Sustainable Finance Institute, and the Achieve Foundation. She is on the Advisory Boards of Affirmative Investment Management, and ROC Partners. She chairs the ESG Advisory Board for Qualitas and is on the think tanks Climate Catalyst, and the UBS Sustainability and Impact Forum, as well the Advisory Committee for the NSW Commissioner for Anti-Slavery and the Australian Human Rights Institute.

 Dr. Anandkumar is a Co-founder and CEO of Bugworks, an Indo-USA-Australia biotech startup, working on tackling the massive problem posed by untreatable bacterial Superbugs which are implicated in hospital/community infections and bio-terrorism situations. Bugworks also has an advanced drug discovery program in Oncology targeting cancers of Colon, Gastric, Breast, Lung and Head/Nech. Bugworks hopes to make a massive impact on humanity by addressing large unmet medical needs while making its products affordable and accessible to all. The company is supported by global bluechip investors and is supported by Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) global grants including Gov of India’s DBT-BIRAC, CARB-X and GARDP.

Bugworks has invented a novel class of Antibiotics, broad spectrum in functionality. The company has won the best Innovator awards from Economic Times (2018) and Forbes India (2024), in addition to many national and international awards.

Prior to Bugworks, Anand was the co-founder of Cellworks a company that pioneered the use of computer simulation to support personalized cancer therapies. Prior to the biotechnology experience, Anand was a veteran of the semiconductor industry having held executive positions in the USA, EU, Japan, China, before returning to India. Anand is a global voice for AMR, particularly representing the global south

Debby Blakey, GAICD, is the CEO of HESTA, Australia’s $97 billion superannuation fund for health and community services workers. With over 30 years’ experience in the superannuation and financial services sectors, she holds qualifications in Mathematics, Computer Science, Financial Advice, Governance, Pension Fund Design and Sustainability.
Debby’s leadership is characterised by a ‘people-first’ approach, focusing on enhancing member experiences and financial outcomes while also ensuring operational rigour and excellence. She is a strong advocate for innovation and transformation within the superannuation industry.
Debby is the President of the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors (ACSI), a Director of the International Corporate Governance Network (ICGN) and is the founding Chair of the 40:40 Vision initiative – promoting gender equality at executive and Board level in ASX300 companies.
Under Debby’s leadership, HESTA has been called the ‘corporate conscience of Australia’ for its commitment to strong governance, environmental management and gender equality.

Jo Coombe serves as the Chief Veterinary Officer for New South Wales and Director of Animal Biosecurity at NSW DPIRD. She holds a Veterinary Science degree and a PhD from the University of Melbourne and began her career as a dairy veterinarian in Timboon, southwest Victoria.

Jo has held key roles at Dairy Australia, including Manager of Animal Health, Welfare and Fertility, and later as Policy Lead. Her expertise has supported a range of universities and industry groups through consulting work, and she played a leading role in antimicrobial stewardship nationally as both Secretariat and Chair of the Animal Industries’ Antimicrobial Stewardship R,D & E Strategy (AIAS). Jo is also an invited member of the Australian Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (ASTAG).

Dr Kylie Hewson has a degree in Biotechnology and a PhD in Molecular Virology. Kylie has worked for over 15 years in the Australian agriculture sector (predominately poultry) as a scientist, research manager and advocate for ensuring quality science is not only produced, but also made accessible and able to be used in setting policy and achieving meaningful impact.

She has received national and international awards for her science and advocacy, and sector awards for science communication. Kylie has represented industry on several high-level cross-sectoral and government committees, with extensive experience as Chair, across issues such as biosecurity, food safety, animal health and antimicrobial stewardship. Kylie brings a variety of perspectives from her lived experiences having worked across the private sector, government, academia, research funding organisations, representative organisations and managing her own company.

Kylie has a particular interest in capacity building and has established and coordinated numerous initiatives for the professional development of scientists, and is always seeking to connect people with opportunities. 

Professor Chris Molloy has over 30 years of international board and executive experience across life sciences R&D. He began his career in preclinical research at Glaxo, contributing to high-throughput discovery, and later became COO of MerLion Pharmaceuticals in Singapore. He led corporate development at IDBS, helping it win a Queen’s Award and pioneer stratified medicine software. As CEO of the RSA Group, he specialised in global life science executive search.

In 2016, Professor Molloy became founding CEO of Medicines Discovery Catapult (MDC), transforming UK drug discovery through partnerships with over 150 companies and supporting assets worth over £1bn. During the pandemic, he directed the UK Lighthouse Labs Network Network – the largest diagnostics project in UK history –and chaired efforts to scale lateral flow test manufacturing.

Professor Molloy chairs the IP Advisory Committee for the Association of Medical Research Charities and the Industry Advisory Board for Manchester’s Biomedical Research Centre & Health Innovation Manchester.  Professor Molloy is a Member and Trustee of the Institute of Cancer Research and holds an honorary chair at the University of Manchester.

Professor Branwen Morgan PhD has held numerous senior roles that bridge academic institutions, government, publicly listed companies, and not-for-profit organisations. Branwen’s journey from molecular biologist to journalist, consultant, and influential science leader in antimicrobial resistance exemplifies the power and flexibility of a portfolio-based career in the life sciences sector. She is based at CSIRO where she leads the Minimising Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Consortium. Together with her team, she has significantly improved the visibility of AMR amongst policymakers, created new industry, research, and government connections, and catalysed millions of dollars of investment into antimicrobial resistance research. The consortium’s work emphasises the interconnections between antimicrobial use and resistance across the human, animal, and environmental sectors, addressing research implementation and policy barriers.

Professor Mirfin Mpundu is the Co-founder and Founding Executive Director of ReAct Africa and a Senior Global Health Expert with the Fleming Initiative. With over 30 years of international leadership in public health, he has played a pivotal role in advancing AMR strategies across Africa and Asia, particularly through the development and implementation of One Health National Action Plans. His expertise spans infectious diseases, AMR, bioterrorism, emergency preparedness, pharmaceutical supply chains, global health security, international health policy, diplomacy, and research. Professor Mpundu previously served as the Senior AMR Advisor at USAID, where he provided strategic guidance and oversaw interagency and multilateral engagement on AMR within the Emerging Threats Division. He has also contributed his technical expertise to leading global and regional organizations, including the World Bank, WHO, FAO, WOAH, Africa CDC, SADC, and UNCTAD.

Dr Jomana F. Musmar is a global health policy expert and the Founder and Senior Consultant of Advisors of Global Health, LLC. With decades of experience across leading U.S. agencies—including HHS, DoD, and USDA—she excels in government affairs, policy development, and coalition building. Dr Musmar established and served as the Executive Director of the Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (PACCARB), where she coordinated with over 600 experts to drive One Health and antimicrobial resistance initiatives. At HHS, she also served as Deputy Director for Strategic Initiatives, leading national strategies on vaccines, HIV/AIDS, and infectious diseases, and managing interagency operations in emergencies such as COVID-19. She is also a Leadership Council Member at NIAMRRE and an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Bristol. Dr Musmar’s expertise, recognized internationally, has shaped policy and operations at organisations, government agencies, and academic institutions worldwide.

Moana is a Senior ESG and Sustainability Analyst at Alphinity Investment Management who contributes to the integration of environmental, social and governance risks into the investment process. She conducts research and data analysis to monitor ongoing ESG risks, controversies, emerging topics and supports Alphinity’s stewardship activities in the areas of company engagement, collaborative engagement, thematic research and proxy voting.

Moana also has an active role in supporting the universe construction for Alphinity’s two sustainable strategies and completes company and thematic analysis which assists the Sustainable Compliance Committee in their decisions. She leads the annual data assurance process for both sustainable strategies.

Moana joined Alphinity in 2020 and has a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Commerce degrees from the University of Sydney, with majors in Biology, Environmental Studies and Finance.

Professor Paterson directs ADVANCE-ID (ADVANcing Clinical Evidence for Infectious Diseases) at Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health and Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at National University of Singapore. ADVANCE-ID is a clinical trials network comprising more than 100 hospitals across 20 countries in Asia. This network is jointly funded by the Wellcome Trust and a number of Singaporean institutions with an aim to conduct clinically important trials in the field of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

This comprises trials of antibiotics, diagnostics and prevention strategies. He is also an Honorary Professor at the University of Queensland and has more than 600 peer-reviewed publications predominantly in the area of AMR. His research focuses on the molecular and clinical epidemiology of infections with antibiotic-resistant organisms, with the intent of translating knowledge into optimal prevention and treatment of these infections. Multi-country clinical trials are the major component of his research portfolio, and the predominant focus of ADVANCE-ID.

Professor Brett Sutton is a Director at CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, leading the Health & Biosecurity Research Unit, comprising over 350 researchers and support staff in areas of digital health, human health and plant, animal and environmental biosecurity.

A qualified public health physician, he brings extensive experience and clinical expertise in public health and communicable diseases, developed through roles in government, emergency medicine, and international fieldwork.

Before joining CSIRO, Brett served as Victoria’s Chief Health Officer and Chief Human Biosecurity Officer, heading the Health Protection Branch within the Victorian Department of Health.

With specialist knowledge in tropical medicine and infectious diseases, Brett has worked extensively in lower-middle-income countries and complex humanitarian settings, including in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Timor-Leste, and Fiji.

Professor Sutton is a Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health, a Fellow of the Australasian College of Tropical Medicine, and a Fellow of the Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine (AFPHM). He is also a member of the Faculty of Travel Medicine.