Prof. Mukesh Kapila

Professor of Global Health and Humanitarian Affairs, University of Manchester & Executive Director of the Office for Global Health

Mukesh Kapila, CBE is Chief Executive of the Defeat-NCD Partnership, a “public-private-people” initiative based at the United Nations in Geneva. He is also Professor of Global Health and Humanitarian Affairs at the University of Manchester. Professor Kapila has extensive experience in international development, global health, humanitarian affairs, conflict and security, human rights and diplomacy. He has qualifications in medicine, public health, and development from the Universities of Oxford and London. Previously, he served in senior roles at the UK Government Department for International Development, United Nations, World Health Organization, and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. He has also worked in the World Bank and with the International Labour Organization, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction. Other roles have included Chair of Minority Rights Group International, Chair of Nonviolent Peaceforce, and Special Adviser to the 2016 UN World Humanitarian Summit. Awards include a CBE from Queen Elizabeth II, the Global Citizenship Award of the Institute for Global Leadership, the “I Witness!” award for human rights, and a special resolution of the California State Legislature for “lifetime achievements and meritorious service”. His memoir “Against a Tide of Evil” was nominated for the “2013 Best Non-Fiction Book” award. His next book is provisionally entitled “The Kindness of Strangers”.

“Our fractured world must keep open the channels for dialogue around our shared humanity. Kizilay Talks is an invaluable forum for doing so”.