CEO
Union for International Cancer Control (UICC)

Born in London, Dr. Cary Adams has a BSc Honours degree in Economics, Computing and Statistics from the University of Bath, United Kingdom and a master’s degree (with distinction) in Business Administration. He is a Harvard Business School Alumni having attended the school’s Executive General Management programme in 2003.

In 2009, Dr. Adams made a career change, moving from the management of international businesses in the banking sector to become CEO of UICC based in Geneva.

UICC unites and supports the cancer community to reduce the global cancer burden, to promote greater equity, and to ensure that cancer control continues to be a priority in the world health and development agenda. Its rapidly increasing membership base of over 1100 organisations in more than 170 countries features the world’s major cancer societies, ministries of health and patient groups and includes influential policy makers, researchers and experts in cancer prevention and control. UICC also boasts more than 50 strategic partners.

Dr. Adams and his team focus on global advocacy, convening the cancer community (through World Cancer Day, the World Cancer Congress and the World Cancer Leaders’ Summit) and running significant global capacity building projects that address global cancer issues.

Dr. Adams also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the NCD Alliance, a coalition of around 2,000 organisations working on non-communicable diseases, which include cancer, diabetes, heart, respiratory, mental and neurological diseases. He is also an advisor to the City Cancer Challenge Foundation and the McCabe Centre for Law on Cancer.

In 2014, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in International Relations from the University for Business and International Studies in Geneva and in 2015, an Honorary Doctorate in Health from Bath University in the UK. In May 2015, Dr. Adams was awarded ‘CEO of the year’ at the International and European Association conference organised by the Associations Network.