Andrew Bastawrous awarded Tällberg-SNF-Eliasson Global Leadership Prize

Peek Vision Co-Founder and CEO and VCF Co-Founder, Prof Andrew Bastawrous, is one of three winners of a global prize for leadership, awarded by the Tällberg Foundation. The prize recognises leadership that is ‘innovative, courageous, dynamic, global in implication and rooted in universal values’.

Andrew was selected for his innovative, systems-based approach to solving avoidable vision loss and improving the lives of people around the world.

He co-founded Peek with the aim of making the invisible, visible. Over the past decade he has led the development, testing and implementation of a software and data intelligence platform to make eye health services more efficient, effective and equitable. Peek is powering eye health programmes in multiple countries across Africa and Asia, helping partners bring life-changing eye care to the people who need it most.

Andrew is also Professor in Global Eye Health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine where he teaches on public health, eye health and innovation and leads a research portfolio. In 2018, he co-founded the Vision Catalyst Fund, which is catalysing new resources to bring permanent access to eye health to all those who need it.

Commenting on the Prize, Andrew said: “Thank you to the Tällberg-SNF-Eliasson Jury for this incredible honour. The work I do is never alone, it is with teams and partners who are dedicated, passionate and share a deep commitment to solving a problem that should not exist.

“Millions of people today are being held back from learning, earning and thriving because they can not see clearly, despite proven, sometimes centuries old, treatments being available. I was one of them - a pair of glasses as a 12 year old changed my life. The recognition through this prize further galvanises our collective efforts to eliminate avoidable vision loss.”

The other 2023 winners of the Tällberg-SNF-Eliasson Prize are Tristan Harris, for his advocacy efforts to align disruptive technology with humanity’s best interests; and Margaret Lowman, for her scientific, educational and advocacy work to protect and restore forests.

Alan Stoga, chairman of the Tällberg Foundation, said: “These three leaders were selected by a jury of established global leaders who recognized not only what the nominees have already accomplished, but their shared commitment to continue to push the boundaries on what is necessary to make the world a better place. What do bringing vision to the impaired, disrupting disruptive technology and saving forests from the canopies have in common? Great leaders who are focused on outcomes, not processes.”

This year’s prize winners were chosen from a pool of 2,710 nominated candidates from 149 countries, selected through a several months’ long jury process. The Tällberg-SNF-Eliasson Global Leadership Prize was launched in 2015 and has honoured 27 leaders from across a wide variety of disciplines and countries.