Jimmy Whitworth is Head of International Activities at The Wellcome Trust. His early phase three studies of ivermectin provided the rigorous basis for the control of onchocerciasis, the cause of river blindness. As leader of the Medical Research Council programme on AIDS in Uganda, he provided the key early descriptions of the natural history of HIV infection and AIDS in Africa. He has played a catalytic role in the global support of international health. Jimmy has fostered the Wellcome Trust support for major overseas programmes and he is recognised internationally as a major player in policy discussions about the best mechanisms for supporting research in international health.