London-based Wellcome, one of the world’s largest health foundations, has announced that director Jeremy Farrar will depart in February 2023 to become chief scientist of the World Health Organization (WHO). Paul Schreier, Wellcome’s chief operating officer, has been appointed interim CEO, effective February 25.

Farrar’s second five-year term leading Wellcome is due to end in 2023, and the foundation’s board launched a global search for a permanent CEO earlier this year. Since Farrar joined Wellcome in 2013, the foundation’s annual spending on its mission has doubled, from £726 million ($902.2 million) to around £1.6 billion (nearly $2 billion) in the next fiscal year, and its endowment has grown from £15 billion ($18.6 billion) to £38 billion ($47.2 billion).

In 2020, Wellcome launched an ambitious strategy—funding discovery research projects to transform understanding of life, health and well-being, and supporting science-based solutions to address three of the most urgent health challenges: infectious disease, mental health problems, and the effects of climate change on health. And earlier this year, the organization announced its intention to invest £16 billion ($21.79 billion) over the next decade in scientific research focused on addressing global health challenges, the largest funding commitment to science and health in its 85-year history.

Farrar will join WHO in the second quarter of 2023, overseeing the Science Division, bringing together the best brains in science and innovation from around the world to develop and deliver high quality health services to the people who need them most.

“Jeremy’s leadership and insight have seen Wellcome achieve remarkable growth, realizing ambitions in science and health on a scale not previously possible. His vision has enabled Wellcome’s bold £16 billion strategy for the next decade, supporting scientific discovery and solutions to tackle the greatest health threats facing us all—mental health, escalating infectious disease, and the health impacts of the climate crisis,” said Wellcome board chair Julia Gillard. “The board and I thank Jeremy for his outstanding contribution to Wellcome and our mission to improve health and save lives around the world. We are delighted that the global health and science community will continue to benefit from his expertise and wisdom in his new role at the World Health Organization.” 

(Photo credit: Wellcome)