The Global Fund has decided to appoint a General Manager (G.M.) to work alongside the Executive Director (E.D.).

Buried deep in a Global Fund press release issued the day after the Board meeting in Accra, Ghana on 21-22 November 2011, was the following announcement:

“Recognizing that the substantial changes that lie ahead will necessitate considerable focus on internal management and administration, the Board decided to appoint a General Manager to work alongside the Executive Director. The General Manager and a potential support team will help to take the organization through its transformation phase over the next twelve months.”

No details were provided. During the open sessions of the Board meeting, there was no mention of the possible appointment of a G.M., or of any such decision having been made at the executive sessions. (Most Board sessions were open to full Board delegations, observers, senior Global Fund staff and others; but executive sessions were attended only by voting Board members and their alternates.)

Several media outlets have reported on the announcement regarding the G.M., and have speculated as to why the decision was made and how the new G.M. will fit in. However, when we went to press, the Global Fund had still not provided further information.