Simba Gill. The Chair of The VII Foundation’s Board of Trustees is a scientist, entrepreneur, and investor with more than 40 years of experience founding, building, and investing in biotechnology companies. He has extensive board experience across both private and public companies, including serving as board chair. Across his career, nine companies that he founded or helped lead have gone public

He is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Songbird Health Sciences, an immune health company introducing a new approach to chronic inflammation and improving healthspan.

Simba strongly believes in the crucial role of independent journalism in addressing critical global challenges and supporting public understanding. He co-founded Dispatches, an in-depth photojournalism periodical focused on issues such as poverty, conflict and genocide. He has long been involved in not-for-profit organizations, serving on the boards of the Tuberculosis Alliance and the Djerassi Resident Artists Program, and works closely with the leadership at INSEAD on healthcare and innovation.

Simba holds a PhD and a BSc (Hons.) in Immunology from King’s College London, and an MBA from INSEAD. Born in Tanzania and of Kashmiri and Punjabi descent, he has lived and worked across the U.S., Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa. His background has shaped a deeply global perspective that informs his work across business, education and philanthropy.

Michael Y. Chow is a serial entrepreneur and venture capitalist with deep expertise and an extensive international network spanning global markets and the financial sector. He has built a portfolio of more than 100 companies across 29 countries, focusing strongly on emerging markets, including Latin America, Africa, Eastern Europe, Greater China, India, and Southeast Asia. His investment activity spans media, technology, and finance, including digital publishing, e-commerce, digital and mobile distribution, artificial intelligence, and financial technology.

Michael is the Co-Founder of XRM Media, an award-winning entertainment and media technology group that supports, produces, and finances diversity-driven, multicultural content across film, television, digital, and emerging platforms. His work covers the full content lifecycle, from development and production through distribution, with particular expertise in equity financing, co-financing, financial modeling, and fund management.

Beyond his entrepreneurial work, Michael serves as a board member and advisor to entertainment and media technology companies across the United States and Asia Pacific.

Michael divides his time between Los Angeles, California, and Tokyo, Japan.

Jan-Ole Hansen is a senior investment executive and experienced board director, with more than 40 years of leadership across family offices, institutional pension funds, and investment advisory firms.

Most recently, Jan-Ole served as Group Chief Investment Officer at North-East Family Office, where he was part of the daily management team from 2012 to 2023. In that role, he held overall responsibility for the family office’s investment activities, including the development and implementation of its investment philosophy and strategy.

Earlier in his career, Jan-Ole was Chief Executive Officer of Tarvos A/S, and served as Director at SVG Advisors with responsibility for the Nordic Region. From 1993 to 2007, he was Chief Financial Officer and Chief Investment Officer at Industriens Pension, which administers the labour market pension scheme for industrial employees. He was also Head of Asset Management at Privatbørsen / Privatbanken (Nordea).

He currently serves on multiple boards and committees within the investment industry and the philanthropic sector, as well as in advisory roles spanning both areas. Jan-Ole holds a master’s degree in economics from Aarhus University in Denmark and a bachelor’s degree in business and economics from Odense University in Denmark.

Paul J. Sekhri is a global life sciences executive and seasoned board director. He has nearly four decades of leadership experience across multinational pharmaceutical companies, venture-backed biotechnology firms, and top-tier venture capital and private equity organizations. He has served on more than 40 public and private company boards in the United States, Europe, and Israel. He brings deep expertise in board leadership, corporate governance, capital formation, business development, M&A, and CEO succession across biotechnology, therapeutics, and healthcare innovation.

He currently serves as Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of vTv Therapeutics. He has previously held senior leadership roles at eGenesis, Lycera, Sanofi, Teva, TPG Biotech, Cerimon Pharmaceuticals, ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, and Novartis.

Beyond the life sciences sector, Paul is a strong advocate of the essential role of the arts. He serves as Chair of the Board of Young Concert Artists, and is a member of the Advisory Council of the New York Philharmonic. He previously served on the boards of The Metropolitan Opera and Carnegie Hall, as well as health-focused organizations including the Cancer Research Institute and The TB Alliance.

Paul studied Clinical Anatomy and Neuroscience at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and he holds degrees in Membrane Physiology and Zoology.