Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Born in London, Cary Adams has a BSc Honours degree in Economics, Computing and Statistics, a Masters degree (with distinction) in Business Administration. He is a Harvard Business School alumni and has received two Honorary Doctorates in International Relations and Health.

In 2009, Cary made a career change, moving from the management of international businesses in the banking sector to become CEO of UICC, based in Geneva – the largest international cancer NGO of its kind with more than 1,150 member organisations in over 170 countries and territories. 

UICC unites and supports the cancer community to reduce the global cancer burden, to promote greater equity, and to integrate cancer control into the world health and development agenda. UICC also boasts more than 60 strategic partners.

Cary also served two terms as Chair of the NCD Alliance Board, a coalition of around 2,000 organisations working on non-communicable diseases, which include cancer, diabetes, heart, respiratory, mental and neurological diseases.

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, Cary was awarded ‘CEO of the year’ at the International and European Association conference organised by the Associations Network.

He also received the 2023 International Healthcare Leadership Award by the National Center for Healthcare Leadership (NCHL). The award recognises his significant contributions to global healthcare and his dedication to fostering leadership within the sector.