Ankur Vora, Bill Gates’ top strategy adviser at his foundation, gave a behind-the-scenes look at how the Gates Foundation tackles the world’s toughest challenges — from child mortality to poverty and global health.
Describing his role as "the coolest job on the planet," Vora spoke to Devex Editor-in-Chief Raj Kumar during a Devex event on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, and emphasized the importance of strategizing, measuring progress, and course-correcting to meet the foundation’s ambitious goals.
Central to his work is addressing challenges related to maternal and child mortality, especially in the aftermath of setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Gates Foundation “focuses on surviving, thriving, lives and livelihoods,” Vora explained, highlighting that it works to ensure mothers and babies don’t die from preventable causes.