Last night at the World Congress of Cardiology & Cardiovascular Health 2016, we held our General Assembly, during which election were held for several positions, including that of World Heart Federation President-Elect, currently held by Professor David Wood.
Johanna Ralston, CEO, World Heart Federation
“Last night the World Heart Federation membership elected Karen Sliwa of South Africa as President-Elect, marking two firsts: our first female president and our first from the African continent. Karen is Director of the Hatter Institute for Cardiovascular Research in Africa, where she is also Professor of Cardiovascular Research at the University of Cape Town. She will bring to the role of President a wealth of first-hand experience and expertise, with specific understanding of the challenges of addressing CVD in lower resource settings. We are delighted to welcome her on board.”
Professor Sliwa is a clinician-scientist, having trained as an internal medicine specialist and cardiologist. She also holds a Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and a PhD related to immune activation in heart failure, and has played a key role in promoting research and contributing to knowledge in diseases common in Africa.
Born in Germany, Professor Sliwa spent her childhood in Asia and underwent training in countries as diverse as India, the Philippines, Israel and Scotland, prior to settling in South Africa.
Professor Karen Sliwa, WHF President-Elect
“I am honoured at the trust the World Heart Federation membership has put in me to take the organisation forward. I would like to especially thank the emerging country Societies and Foundations who have supported me.”
We will bring you more from the General Assembly and all of the elected posts in the next few days.
The photo shows Professor Karen Sliwa speaking at the General Assembly
