International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

FIGO is delighted to announce that it has appointed Professor David Taylor as Project Director of the FIGO initiative on “Improving maternal and newborn health in low-resource countries through strengthening the role of obstetric and gynaecological national associations” which is funded by The Bill & Melinda Gates foundation.

Professor David J Taylor qualified in medicine and was awarded his post-graduate doctoral degree at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. After completing his clinical and academic training at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, he was appointed first Senior Lecturer and then Reader at the University of Dundee and Honorary Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee.

David TaylorIn 1992, he was appointed Professor and Head of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of Leicester and Honorary Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, University Hospitals of Leicester. During his appointment at Leicester, he held additional senior management positions, including Clinical Director of Obstetrics, Gynaecology, Neonatology, Sexual Health & Genetics services, and Vice-Dean of the Leicester Medical School. He was also a Non-Executive Director of first the Leicestershire, and then the Leicestershire, Northamptonshire & Rutland Strategic Health Authorities.

He has chaired and has been a member of various RCOG and national committees and has taught and examined widely in Asia, Europe, North and Central America.Amongst his many academic contributions to Obstetrics & Gynaecology are the use of the Objective Structured Clinical Examination to assess clinical competence and his leadership of the MRC Oracle Trial and Children’s Study. In addition to his academic contributions, he has extensive experience in service delivery, design and re-design and his department was the cradle of the development of clinical governance in the UK.

Professor Taylor, through his extensive educational and training contacts with health professionals in low-resource countries has an in-depth understanding of, and commitment to, the importance of improving maternal and newborn health in low-resource countries, especially in Asia and Africa.

Professor Taylor will take up his duties in July 2009.