Professor Glenda Gray, who is currently the President and CEO of the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), has been instrumental in research into mother-to-child HIV transmission. Her work played a critical role in the establishment of HIV interventions in South Africa, resulting in a reduction in mother-to-child HIV-1 transmission rates from 25% to 2%. She co-founded the Perinatal HIV Research Unit based at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital. She has garnered considerable status over the course of her career with almost 300 published papers and a NRF A-rating. She received the Nelson Mandela Health and Human Rights Award and, in 2013, was awarded the Order of Mapungubwe Silver. In 2017, Time Magazine named her one of its 100 Most Influential People in the World. In 2018 she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Laws (LLD) (hc) from the Rhodes University in recognition of her work in the field of paediatrics. Prof Gray studied medicine at the University of the Witwatersrand and also holds an Honorary Doctorate from Simon Fraser University in Canada. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology and a member of the Academy of Science of South Africa. She is currently non-executive director of the Wits Perinatal HIV Research Unit, and co-principal investigator and director of international programmes of the HIV Vaccine Clinical Trial Network. Her specialities include HIV prevention and vaccines.

Prof Glenda Gray serves as a member of the Remuneration & HR Committee and the Audit & Risk Committee.