Professor Peiris plays a lead role in developing and implementing the institute’s research strategy. He is a Professor in the Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, and is a locum GP with Miwatj Health visiting Galiwin’ku, Elcho Island.

David is passionate about strengthening primary health care worldwide. He is focussed on overcoming the challenges of delivering affordable, high-quality health services and programs to communities across the globe. His research is underpinned by health systems science, a dynamic and emerging discipline that includes health services research, health policy and systems research, and implementation science.

David has published extensively and leads several grants testing innovative strategies to improve access to high-quality primary health care. He is a former Australian Harkness Fellow in Healthcare Policy, based at the Harvard School of Public Health, and was the elected co-chair of the Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases Committee for Hypertension Control from 2012 to 2015. He sits on several government, non-government and research advisory committees. He is a Lancet commissioner focussed on evidence-based implementation in global health and pandemic preparedness.

Emma Feeny is Director of Impact & Engagement at The George Institute, where she leads a global programme of activities including advocacy, policy engagement, community engagement and thought leadership, to mobilise knowledge and help increase the impact of the institute’s health and medical research. 

Emma has over 20 years’ experience of driving impact in the research, international development and humanitarian sectors, and of building partnerships with government, multilateral, civil society, private sector and academic stakeholders globally. Before joining The George Institute, she worked as a global policy and advocacy advisor at Oxfam, and previously held policy and communications roles with organisations including the UN World Food Programme and the University of Oxford. 

A former journalist with organisations including Reuters and the Financial Times, Emma holds a Masters degree in the Social Anthropology of Development from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London.