It is with great sadness that DNDi has learned of the passing of Derrick Wong, a highly valued member of the DNDi Board of Directors for six years. Derrick was involved in the creation of DNDi in 2002 and 2003, and he served on the Board and chaired the Finance and Audit Committee from 2011 to 2018. He stepped down from his posts a year ago due to illness.

“Derrick was a deeply committed member of the DNDi Board and he made major contributions during his six years of service,” said Marie-Paule Kieny, Chair of the DNDi Board. “We have lost a friend, someone who had great passion for the DNDi mission. The staff and Board of DNDi extend our deepest condolences to his family.”

Derrick made several trips to visit DNDi projects in East Africa and made a deep impression on staff that travelled with him as well as those he worked with, always asking, “How can I help you?“

‘It was obvious to me and to everyone that Derrick found a real joy in supporting the work of DNDi,” said Laurence Vielfaure, Finance & Planning Director at DNDi. “He had such warmth in his manner and was so caring and constructive in his approach. I really appreciated working with him. His enthusiasm for finance gave us the energy to advance some difficult projects.“

“Derrick played a fundamental role in the establishment of DNDi. His energy, thoughtfulness, and foresight helped to create the organization we have today,” said Dr Bernard Pécoul, Executive Director of DNDi. “I like to think of him being part of the fabric of DNDi and continuing to make a difference. We worked together on many things over the last 17 years, and I will miss him.“

After his work in helping to establish DNDi, Derrick went on to become the Senior Advisor to the Council on Health Research for Development (COHRED) and the Global Forum for Health Research. His focus was on strengthening the strategic, operational, and financial performance of international health research organizations in the developing world.

Derrick previously worked with the MSF Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines, MSF Epicentre, Médecins du Monde/Doctors of the World, Human Rights Watch, Soros Foundation, Time Warner Asia, and Time Warner Latin America. He advised public interest institutions for over twenty-five years. He earned an MBA and MA from Stanford University, and a BA from Harvard University.