Susan Desmond-Hellmann: A passionate innovator to lead the Gates Foundation

For much of the past decade, Susan Desmond-Hellmann has been labeled as a woman to watch out for in the corporate world. The public health expert, who will soon be running one of the largest and most influential philanthropic organizations in the world, has made her mark within the scientific community as a champion of research and development when it comes to cancer research and drug development. Except for a couple of years in private practice, Desmond-Hellmann has dedicated almost her entire 35-year career researching and advancing treatment for cancer-related illnesses. At biotech company Genentech, where she stayed for 14 years and became president of product development, she led efforts in developing several anti-cancer drugs, including Avastin and Herceptin. “I loved my patients but did not enjoy private practice. I thought it was the wrong job for me. We needed better weapons against cancer and I wanted to be a part of that,” she was once quoted as saying. “Do something you’re passionate about and that challenges you.” This passion is perhaps Desmond-Hellmann’s strongest leadership quality, and one of the reasons Bill Gates chose her to become the next CEO of the foundation he presides along with his wife Melinda. Following the announcement on Dec. 17, Melinda Gates said: “We chose Sue because of her scientific knowledge and deep technical expertise on the foundation’s issues, as well as the organizational and leadership skills required to lead a large, growing and dynamic global organization.” Bill Gates, meanwhile, noted that Desmond-Hellmann “impressed us as an innovator and an outstanding leader and manager.” Her push for innovation and experience leading several top institutions in the United States — for the past four years, she has been chancellor of the University of California in San Francisco, the first woman to do so — will be her main credentials once she takes the reins of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation from outgoing CEO Jeff Raikes in May. Innovator The Gates Foundation has been widely known for its grand innovation challenges, from waterless toilets to condoms that enhance pleasure so that more men will use them, which would lead to fewer unwanted pregnancies and prevent the further spread of HIV. Desmond-Hellmann’s success in cancer research is another plus for the foundation, which is keen on pursuing the same path. But how this R&D expert will run the organization and steer its course amid a changing international development landscape is something many in the aid community will be looking out for. For instance, when she took over the helm of UCSF in 2009, Desmond-Hellmann oversaw a review of the university’s business model, introduced a three-year strategy and pushed for more partnerships with private companies. Will she do the same now? Challenges Although widely recognized and much praised for its generosity, the Gates Foundation has often fallen off the charts when it comes to transparency. In Publish What You Fund’s 2013 aid transparency index, the organization scored very poorly. “It currently performs poorly on commitment indicators and on activity-related documents … The Gates Foundation does not publish performance or forward spending information systematically. Some information is provided in the annual letter on organizational priorities, but no comprehensive development strategy is published,” the nonprofit said. Competing interests is another ongoing criticism. The foundation has been accused of giving money to firms whose activities go against the causes it supports. Desmond-Hellmann faced the same issue when she was forced to sell her shares from tobacco companies. The new CEO will likely deal with these challenges one problem at a time — but it’s already known that she’s big on transparency and opening up to the public. “We all know that the people we associate with drive our behavior. That can be incredibly powerful. So we need to tap into families, communities, schools, churches, social networks,” Desmond-Hellmann said this year in a TEDMED speech. “Don’t underestimate people. They constantly exceed expectations. Join the Devex community and access more in-depth analysis, breaking news and business advice — and a host of other services — on international development, humanitarian aid and global health.