As part of its commitment to fostering innovative approaches and fresh ideas in health policy and systems research, the Alliance is pleased to announce that Dr Seye Abimbola will be its first Thinker in Residence. This short-term initiative is designed to bring external expertise and critique into the Secretariat, with a focus on challenging current programmes and strategies to ensure that the Alliance remains at the forefront of thought leadership in the field.
The selected thinker will collaborate closely with Alliance Secretariat staff across all strategic pillars, contributing innovative thinking and foresight to inform the Alliance’s programmes. This initiative is key to achieving the Alliance’s 2024–2028 strategy, which emphasizes the need for new approaches and ideas to address complex global health challenges.
The Alliance is honoured to welcome Associate Professor Seye Abimbola as its first Thinker in Residence. Dr Abimbola is a globally recognized health systems researcher, and a distinguished global health scholar based at the University of Sydney. With over 100 publications to his name, Dr Abimbola has established himself as a leading figure in the field, including in his previous role as Editor in Chief of BMJ Global Health.
Dr Abimbola's extensive experience spans multiple countries, including Nigeria, Australia, the Netherlands, the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. His academic and professional journey has been marked by significant contributions to health systems research, particularly on equity and decolonization.
“I’m looking forward to continuing the Alliance’s approach to innovation in the field. My goal is to bring a critical and forward-looking perspective to the discussions, helping to shape how we make, use and share knowledge so that health systems are more equitable, more responsive and learn better,” Dr Abimbola shared upon his appointment as the Alliance’s inaugural Thinker in Residence.
“Creating space for deep thinking in a fast-paced environment is critical,” noted Dr Kumanan Rasanathan, Executive Director of the Alliance. “That is why we are so thrilled to have Dr Abimbola join us. His expertise, innovative mindset and fierce intelligence will challenge us, and help ensure the Alliance remains relevant in supporting the field of health policy and systems research to address the challenges of the future.”
During his residency, Dr Abimbola will participate in key events and dialogues on health equity and more. His insights will be captured and shared with the Alliance and the wider health policy and systems research community. “We are confident that Dr Abimbola's dialogues here will have a lasting impact on our work and will help strengthen our contribution to global health equity,” added Dr Rasanathan.