Dr Thaksaphon Thamarangsi, a medical doctor and public health specialist-commonly known by his nickname ‘Mek’, is a health policy and system scholar-with particular expertise in global health, public policy process analysis, system design and strengthening. Mek is the Director and Chief Representative-CMB Foundation Bangkok. He had been a senior UN officer at WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia, serving as the Director, Programme Management; as well as key technical posts. Prior to 2015, Dr Thaksaphon had served Thailand in many leading roles in public health and global health domains; as well as the Director of the International Health Policy Program (IHPP)-Thailand.