Dr. Anita Gupta, Founding Curator, World Economic Forum Member Expert, and Gates Foundation Innovation Equity Forum Advisor, is an internationally recognized physician anesthesiologist and pharmacist whose pioneering leadership has advanced breakthrough drug therapies reshaping the global healthcare landscape. She is a trusted voice at the intersection of medicine, policy, and health innovation, and is widely respected for championing equitable access to healthcare and life-saving drug and innovation solutions worldwide. She has held senior leadership positions across public, private, and nonprofit sectors, including roles as General Partner, Senior Vice President, and Senior Advisor at the Milken Institute, and served as Chief Surgeon of City of New York. Her initiatives focus on combating the global synthetic drug crisis, advancing women’s health, mental health and expanding access to essential medicines. Appointed by the American Society of Anesthesiologists, Dr. Gupta played a pivotal leadership role advocating for critical access to the opioid antidote naloxone at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, drawing on her frontline experience addressing the drug crisis in Philadelphia. Her work on synthetic opioids, early warning systems, and global drug safety has earned international recognition. Dr. Gupta contributes to WEF’s Global Expert Groups on Biotechnology, Pandemic Preparedness, and the Future of Health. Her thought leadership has extended to major platforms, including advising the Gates Foundation on women’s health and participating in the National Academies of Medicine’s Cancer Policy Forum. She has served institutions including the American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP), US FDA, Department of Defense, and National Quality Forum, and currently holds leadership roles on the Board of Governors of Princeton University’s Asian American Alumni Association and as Regional Director for the Harvard Business School Healthcare Alumni Association. Her work has been featured in leading media outlets including The New York Times, Forbes, Washington Post, NBC, Fox News, and MSNBC. She has received numerous national and international honors, including: Goldman Sachs 10K
Scholar, Arnold P. Gold Humanism in Medicine Award, National Academies Patient Advocacy Award, and recognition as one of the Top 100 Most Inspiring Leaders, a Top Woman in Business, a Top 10 Fierce Healthcare Woman of Influence, a Top 10 Global Emerging Leader, among others. As one of the world’s foremost voices in healthcare transformation, Dr. Anita Gupta exemplifies the World Economic Forum’s mission to accelerate bold, inclusive, and equitable healthcare innovation on a global scale.