BOARD OF DIRECTORS
-
He earned his doctorate at the University of Zurich, Los Angeles and Rio de Janeiro. He is Co-owner of “Clinic Utoquai” in Zurich. Since 1989, he has undertaken numerous missions as a physician and delegate for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), UN, OSCE in regions of conflict. He is a Guest lecturer at the Institute for Conflict Research of Political Science at the University of Zurich.
DR. ENRIQUE STEIGER
FOUNDER & CHAIRMAN
-
Dr. Caroline Faraj is an award-winning Journalist who has over 30 years’ experience in journalism.
Based in Dubai, Caroline joined CNN in 2001 and has overseen the content and management of CNN Arabic, which she launched in 2002. She has managed CNN Arabic during a time of great regional upheaval which encompassed the US-led invasion of Iraq, the Arab Spring, and the rise of Islamist militant group ISIS.
In 2014, Caroline led the site’s comprehensive re-launch to embrace rapidly evolving consumer needs. Before joining CNN, Caroline’s roles included senior political reporter for Al Rai – the leading Arabic daily newspaper in Jordan, managing editor for English-language newspaper the Jordan Times and regional correspondent for the US Défense News. She also held positions in London and Jordan for some regional TV stations. Caroline also conceived and hosted Jordan’s first live morning television talk show Youm Jadid.
She was named winner of the Arab Woman of the year Awards 2022 as a leader in media, and in 2021 she won the Arab Woman Awards/ media category in the UAE.
Caroline is an active Board Member of Magdi Yacoub Global Heart, a member of the Advisory Boards for City University of London, Zayed University in Dubai, American University of Sharjah, University of Wollongong in Dubai and non-government organizations including e7 Daughters of the Emirates, Womanity, Bayes Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council and WBD International Diversity Council.
Dr. Faraj has an MA in International Journalism and an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science from City University of London. She’s a passionate storyteller who believes in new media, women enabling, youth creativity and freedom of expression.
DR. CAROLINE FARAJ
CNN VP & CNN ARABIC EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
-
He is also chairman of the advisory board of Alba Group, a leading company in the international waste management industry.
As State Secretary in the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs, Dr Nußbaum was responsible for the directorates-general for economic, industrial and external economic policy, for digital and innovation policy and for SME policy. He was the Federal Government’s coordinator for projects abroad that were of strategic interest to the Federal Republic of Germany. He has held the position as Professor of International and European Commercial Law and Financial Relations at Jacobs University Bremen since 2011.Prior to this, he held various executive positions in the seafood industry. He completed his law and political science studies at the Universities of Saarbrücken, Trier, Geneva, Strasbourg and London as a doctor of law in 1985.
DR. ULRICH NUSSBAUM
FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE & CEO
-
Prior to that he was General Counsel of UBS Group AG.
Previously he has worked with Los Angeles-based law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and focused on corporate matters, securities transactions, litigation, and regulatory investigations while working out of the firm's Brussels and Paris offices. From 1989 to 1992, he practiced at Shearman & Sterling in New York, specializing in mergers and acquisitions. In 1988, he worked at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison in New York. After starting his career in 1983 with Bär & Karrer, he served as a law clerk at Uster District Court in Switzerland from 1984 to 1985.
Elected as Co-Chair of the American Swiss Foundation in 2021, Mr. Diethelm holds a law degree from the University of Zurich, a master's degree (JSM), and a doctoral degree (JSD) from Stanford Law School. He is a qualified attorney-at-law admitted to the bar in Zurich, Geneva, and New York State. He serves as Member of the New York State Council of Business Leaders in support of Access to Justice.
DR. MARKUS U. DIETHELM
INTERNATIONAL LEGAL AND LITIGATION EXPERT
ADVISORY PANEL
-
A joint research and policy initiative of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the World Food Program (WFP), the United Nations High-Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Doctors-Without-Borders and the HD Centre, where he conducts research on frontline humanitarian negotiation. He also serves as Strategic Advisor to the President of the ICRC, Peter Maurer, working specifically on the development of security management systems. He holds faculty appointments at the Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Kennedy School of Government in Cambridge, MA, where he teaches strategic planning and negotiation for over 20 years.
At Harvard University, he founded and directed for 12 years the Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research (HPCR). He also founded the first association of professionals in humanitarian assistance and protection (PHAP) in 2010. Before joining Harvard University, Mr. Bruderlein served as Special Adviser on Humanitarian Affairs to the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, focusing particularly on issues related to the negotiation of humanitarian access and the targeting of sanctions. He served as an expert to the UN Security Council on the humanitarian impact of sanctions in Sudan, Burundi, and Sierra Leone. He has also previously worked with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) as a delegate in Iran, Israel and the Occupied Territories, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Yemen.
DR. CLAUDE BRUDERLEIN
LEGAL ADVISOR IHL HARVARD
-
He completed his medical education at University of Glasgow and his Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery training in London, and has completed fellowships in Pediatric Craniofacial Surgery, Cleft Surgery, and Trauma Reconstruction.
In 2015, he co-founded and became director of the Conflict Medicine Program at Global Health Institute at the American University of Beirut. He continues to be a Senior Clinical Lecturer at Queen Mary University of London.
Dr. Abu-Sittah serves as a reviewer at the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR-UK) and is on the Board of Advisors at its Global Research Group on Burn Trauma. He has published extensively on war injuries including a medical textbook, “Reconstructing the War Injured Patient,” and a forthcoming book, “Treating The War Injured Child.” He has worked as a war surgeon in Iraq, Syria, South Lebanon and during the 3 wars in the Gaza Strip.
DR GHASSAN S. ABU-SITTAH
MEDICAL ADVISOR
-
At the age of 21, she was the country’s youngest news anchor. She has been a regular presenter of the news and highly respected talk formats featuring politics, business and cultural issues, as well as of numerous live shows on Swiss national radio and television.
She has simultaneously covered special events such as the Swiss Economic Forum and corporate panel discussions, and has also hosted and co-organised fundraising and charity events for international non-profit organisations.
As a member of the Swisscross team, she supports the foundation focusing particular on its marketing and communication strategy as well as fundraising campaigns.
ANNA MAIER
MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION
-
She was previously the CFO for the retail, business and private banking divisions of Westpac Banking Corporation and has worked extensively in the international capital markets with Citi.
As a strategic philanthropist, Kimberly donates her professional skills and experience in capital markets, treasury and structured finance to support humanitarian and development organisations. She has served as Special Advisor to Global Women Leaders’ cornerstone partner the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), as well as in various capacities to The World Bank, UNHCR, the World Food Programme and the Red Cross Society of Women Leaders amongst others.
Kimberly continues to contribute to developing financing solutions for ‘global public goods’ at scale by collaborating with the leadership of humanitarian and development actors, multilaterals, philanthropists and the private sector.
KIMBERLY GIRE
INNOVATIVE FINANCE
-
From 1989 to 1992, Ian served with the Canadian Forces (CF), Military Intelligence Branch; in 2002, he joined the CF Military Police Reserves and retired as a Public Affairs Officer in 2013. After a year with the RCMP as a Criminal Intelligence Analyst, Ian worked as a cyber security analyst/consultant for multi-national insurance, banking and regional health care.
As Chief Information Security Officer for Cyjax Ltd., Ian has deep experience with the threats facing small, medium and enterprise businesses. His research and experience have made him a sought-after cyber security consultant specializing in cyber threat intelligence programs for small, medium and enterprise organizations. In his spare time, he teaches cyber security and IT business courses for CompTIA as part of their global faculty and is the lead architect for CyberTitan, Canada's efforts to encourage the next generation of cyber professionals.
IAN THORNTON-TRUMP CD
DATA PROTECTION
-
Including surgical, gerontological, psycho-somatic, oncological and palliative care. She holds a PhD in nursing from Manchester University (UK) and is a Private Docent at Turku University (Finland) and at the University of Witten-Herdecke (Germany) where she was awarded her post-doctoral degree.
During her first years as a Nurse Educator, she taught Clinical Nursing in basic nurse training. She then continued as Educator and Academic Researcher teaching Advanced Nursing and Qualitative Health Research Methodology in institutions of Higher Education in Switzerland, different European countries, and in the Middle East.
In 1990, Kaeppeli initiated the Centre for Nursing Research and Development at the University Hospital Zürich and directed it for 20 years, until retirement. Between 2012-2020, Silvia lived and worked in different roles with the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) in Afghanistan.
Her generalist approach to the care of human beings in any health field, including the humanitarian where particularly vulnerable people are served, is based on her belief in the intimate relationship between practice, education, research/theory and ethical standards.
DR. SILVIA KAEPPELI
EDUCATION ADVISOR
CORE TEAM
-
He has published on the use and accuracy of CT imaging in maxillofacial applications. Dr. Furst has also served as a consultant to the Journal of the Canadian Dental Association, past President of the Ontario Society of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons, and a Council member for the National Cyber Security Leadership Council of the Information & Communications Technology Council (Canada).
Prior to becoming Swisscross’s CEO he served as our consultant maxillofacial surgeon and medical technology advisor for new applications in complex emergencies.
DR. IAN FURST
CEO
-
At his core, Dr. Kunzi is a devoted humanitarian who has conducted humanitarian missions for over 20 years in Peshawar, Sudan, Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.
He has served as the head of the hand and plastics department for several hospitals including Frauenfeld Cantonal Hospital, Lucerne Cantonal Hospital and Zurich University Hospital. Recently he was also the medical Director of Europoliklinik in Zurich.
DR. WALTER KUNZI
CHIEF SURGEON
-
Fluent in English, Kurdish, and Arabic, she coordinates activities related to the Swisscross Centre of Excellence in Erbil, Iraq including the collection and triage of patients who require care.
Dr. Saber is an active member of the International Federation of Medical Student’s Association being a local officer on their public health team and vice chair of their National Assembly.
DR. SAREZH SABER
FIELD OFFICER, IRAQ
-
Fluent in English, Kurdish, German, and Arabic, he coordinates activities related to the Swisscross Centre of Excellence in Erbil, Iraq including the collection and triage of patients who require care.
Lass is an active member of IFMSA-Kurdistan since 2018 working to promote public health, women rights and mental health. He was on the organizing committee for the Kurdistan health summit conferences of AVI organization and is a graduate of the American General Consulate Academy program, “21st Century values & the Future of Society”
DR. LASS AZAD
FIELD OFFICER, IRAQ
-
He has extensive experience and specialist interests in primary hip and knee arthroplasty, complex and revision hip and knee arthroplasty including Prosthetic Joint Infection and Massive Endoprosthesis, minimally invasive arthroplasty including (Piriformis Sparing Total Hip Replacement and muscle sparing Direct Anterior Approach hip arthroplasty), hip resurfacing, hip arthroscopy, young adult hip surgery, navigation and robotic assisted knee replacement surgery and complex trauma.
Sarkhell who is British-Kurdish joined Swisscross Foundation in 2022 and has provided humanitarian life-changing surgeries on several missions to Kurdistan since, including performing the first hip replacement at the Swisscross facility.
The Clinical Lead for the Trauma and Orthopaedic Department at Croydon University Hospital, Sarkhell is a keen researcher and mentor to junior colleagues. He has published over 30 peer-reviewed publications, holds an MSc in Evidence Based Medicine and MBA and is the lead for the first international Best Practice Guideline project in arthroscopic management of Femoral Acetabular Impingement syndrome (FAI) as part of The Hip Preservation Society.
DR. SARKELL RADHA
CONSULTANT ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON, SPECIALISM HIP & KNEE SURGERY
-
She is a Swiss-Australian surgeon based in Zurich Switzerland, where she works as consultant at a number of public and private hospitals. She has extensive training in reconstructive microsurgery and many years of experience in the treatment of burns and reconstructive procedures after trauma or tumours, including breast cancer. She has been participating or leading humanitarian missions, such as in the Gaza Strip, on a regular basis for over 10 years and is passionate about dedicating her time to such causes.
DR. NATASHA FORSTER
PLASTIC – RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGEON
PROF. DEIARY KADER
CONSULTANT ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON
-
An internationally respected orthopaedic surgeon specializing in trauma and reconstructive surgery, Professor Kader has decades of clinical and academic experience, and widely recognized for treating complex musculoskeletal injuries and restoring function in patients affected by conflict, trauma, and severe orthopaedic conditions.
Professor Kader has also been a visiting professor at the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences Northumbria University, Newcastle, UK since 2007, is a co-editor of two of the bestselling Postgraduate Orthopaedic books in the UK and the co-director of the advanced knee arthroscopy cadaveric course run by BOSTAA/RCS and part of the faculty of postgraduate FRCS Orthopaedic education nationally and internationally.
Beyond his clinical and academic expertise, Professor Kader is deeply committed to humanitarian medicine, regularly contributing his expertise to Swisscross surgical missions in Erbil. His work bridges advanced surgical care, education, and global health advocacy, making him a trusted voice in both medical and public arenas.
-
He recently served as Senior Vice President and Country Manager, was the de-Novo start-up for Elavon/US Bank in Canada. Cory began by developing a comprehensive strategic plan for the market entry and attained their Visa, MasterCard and Interac licensing.
Cory is adept at managing complex issues ranging from Strategic Planning, Compliance, and Go-To-Market analysis, through ongoing Product Development and implementation of integrated EMV, Contactless, and Mobile Payments solutions. He is comfortable managing large or small organizations to achieve meaningful, risk appropriate, revenue with measurable market share. While based in Toronto, he has managed both the Canadian and USA regions.
Cory holds a Bachelor of Arts (double major in Economics and Management) from the University of Guelph.
CORY TAYLOR
CONTROLLER
-
Through Eudaimonia Communications, a boutique communications company, developing creative marketing, public relations, and business strategies, Nyra will support Swisscross Foundation define company messaging, content, and vision with clarity and precision, and impart proven commercial awareness which delivers a unique perspective and instinctive multi-cultural proficiencies in its approach.
Nyra is also the Managing Director of an Islamic finance firm, SSHC Limited dedicated to talent development, knowledge, and innovation; advocating on issues of diversity, philanthropy, social impact and using Islamic finance as a tool to address global development and humanitarian needs. Serving as a Senior Associate at Global Women Leaders Strategic Philanthropy, leveraging design, finance, and professional expertise to support humanitarian entrepreneurs, tech for good, and practices which promote gender, social and economic development in humanitarian settings.
NYRA MAHMOOD
COMMUNICATIONS & STRATEGIC PHILANTHROPY
WORK
WITH US
jobs@swisscross.org