Driving Healthcare Innovation
Meet the people helping shape stronger health systems around the world. BroadReach Group was built on a simple belief: that access to good health enables people to flourish, and combining technology with the people on the frontlines — the nurses, the community health workers, the programme managers — holds the key to unlocking it.
Our founders, Ernest Darkoh and John Sargent, met at Harvard Medical School in the '90s and have spent the better part of two decades making that vision a reality.
MEET THE FOUNDERS
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Co-Founder, BroadReach Group
Ernest has spent over 25 years answering one central question: How do we deliver better care when resources are scarce? In the late 1990s, he helped launch Botswana's national HIV treatment programme when most believed it impossible, it became a global model cited by The Lancet as one of the world's best. Over two decades in South Africa, he built systems supporting 12 million people and enabling 3 million to access lifesaving treatment. His passionate about empowering frontline health workers with data, tools, and support to make smarter decisions faster.
He co-founded BroadReach Group to scale this approach: enabling leaders and frontline workers to do more with less. Ernest has advised PEPFAR, USAID, CDC, WHO, UNAIDS, and the World Bank, and shaped South Africa's National Strategic Plan for HIV & TB. He holds degrees from Wisconsin, Harvard Medical School, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and Oxford's Saïd School of Business as a Fullbright Scholar. He was named a WEF Young Global Leader and TIME "Global Health Hero.
Co-Founder, BroadReach Group
Over 30 years, John has explored one central question: how can technology help people make better decisions in complex health systems? Combining innovation with deep systems thinking, he has worked across Africa, the US and Europe to improve health outcomes for underserved populations. Working alongside frontline health workers, clinicians and programme managers, he has designed technology-enabled programmes that increase visibility, strengthen performance and support better care at scale. His passion lies in building practical solutions for healthcare delivery in resource-constrained settings.
As co-founder of BroadReach Group, John helped pioneer the use of data, technology and AI to improve health system performance and outcomes. Today, he leads Vantage, BroadReach’s data and AI platform, developed in response to the real-world needs of healthcare leaders and frontline teams. He has advised organisations including Merck, Roche and Microsoft on global health innovation, and holds degrees from Dartmouth College, Harvard Medical School and Oxford University. His recognitions include WEF Social Entrepreneur of the Year, Frost & Sullivan Healthcare Visionary, and Devex Top 40 Under 40.
MEET THE TEAM
Global Head of HR
Siraaj brings 23+ years of HR leadership to BroadReach, advising on strategic HR, payroll, HRIS, performance management and compliance. He partners with entrepreneurs to scale operations. As fractional Global Head of HR, he delivers tailored services across organisational stages. He co-founded OptiWorX360, providing comprehensive HR business solutions.
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Director, Digital Health Practice
Krisztina designed global health strategies at McKinsey for eight years, then led digital transformation at Africa Frontline First. At BroadReach, she scales multi-country AI-enabled health programmes across Africa, translating complex organisational and regulatory requirements into programmes that work in low-resource settings. Krisztina holds an MBA from Oxford.
Director, Digital Health Practice
Huguette founded The Luminous Agency and shaped South Africa's national ICT and AI research agenda as Executive Director of CSIR's Meraka Institute. An Aspen Fellow and Harvard Medical School faculty member, she advises WHO and ITU on responsible AI. At BroadReach, she leads Senegal's primary healthcare digital transformation and Francophone expansion.
Director, Finance Operations
Therina oversees financial accounting, treasury, statutory reporting and tax compliance across BroadReach's operations in South Africa, Switzerland, the USA and the UK. With 20+ years in financial leadership across petroleum, renewable energy and healthcare, she has led finance transformation and ERP migration. Therina is a Chartered Accountant (SAICA).
Chief Operating Officer
Lauren leads strategic and operational execution at BroadReach. With 15+ years leading cross-functional teams, she combines strategy and delivery. She has run multi-million-pound programmes for UK-FCDO, USAID and the European Commission, led integrations, and shaped commercial strategy for government clients. Lauren holds an MBM from ESCP Europe and a BA from SOAS.
Director, Product Management
Dr. Bernard Katz brings 20+ years engineering analytics platforms in challenging environments. As Director of Product Management, he leads the technical strategy behind advanced analytics and AI solutions at Global Fund and Gates Foundation. He translates national health systems' needs into scalable digital infrastructure. Dr. Katz holds a PhD in Engineering from Stellenbosch University.
Director, Digital Health Practice
Dhirisha brings 20+ years designing and delivering large-scale, donor-funded health initiatives. She has led programmes across HIV/AIDS, TB, health systems strengthening and community health, with expertise in supply chain management and multi-stakeholder partnerships. Her skills span programme strategy, project delivery, grant management and operational leadership.
Director, Digital Health Practice
Hina led AI practices at Altron and Accenture Africa, advising governments on scaling responsible AI. As Executive Director of CSIR's Meraka Institute, she shaped South Africa's national AI and ICT research agenda. At BroadReach, she works with national health authorities across Africa to deploy AI solutions that strengthen health systems.
Chief Technology Officer
Ruan spent 15 years building engineering teams at major payment companies. As CTO at BroadReach for 10+ years, he applies that discipline to AI-enabled health platforms across 20+ countries. His machine-learning solutions reduced HIV lost-to-follow-up by 13% in two months. He builds AI tools for African regulators and has deployed solutions across US patient programmes.