New Delhi, July 17, 2026: Smile Foundation has announced three senior leadership appointments as part of its efforts to strengthen organisational capabilities, people practices and strategic partnerships. The development organisation has appointed Sanjeev Dham as Executive Director, Shadab Khan as Head – Human Resources, and John Sankey Sutherson as Country Director – Resources & Strategic Partnerships.
The appointments are aimed at reinforcing the foundation's leadership as it expands its programmes and advances its long-term development initiatives across India.
Santanu Mishra, Co-founder, Smile Foundation, said, “As our programmes deepen and expand across India, strengthening our institutional capabilities becomes increasingly important. Mr. Dham, Ms. Khan and Mr. Sutherson collectively bring extensive experience across programme leadership, people management, partnerships and organisational development. Their complementary expertise will help us strengthen our systems, people and partnerships, and advance our mission of creating sustainable change for communities.”
Sanjeev Dham brings more than three decades of experience in public health, organisational management, strategic partnerships and institutional development. He has previously worked with organisations including Population Services International, Mamta Health Institute for Mother and Child, and EngenderHealth.
Speaking on his appointment as Executive Director, Sanjeev Dham said, “Smile Foundation has developed a strong delivery model connecting education, healthcare, livelihoods and women empowerment. I look forward to strengthening organisational systems, deepening programme effectiveness and supporting the foundation in delivering sustainable and measurable impact at scale.”
Shadab Khan, the newly appointed Head – Human Resources, has over 20 years of experience in human resources leadership across the corporate, development and social enterprise sectors. Her previous organisations include VisionSpring, Population Foundation of India, and the United States-India Educational Foundation.
She said, “People are at the heart of every organisation’s ability to create meaningful impact. I look forward to fostering a culture that supports learning, inclusion, well-being and professional growth, while enabling our teams to serve communities with empathy and excellence.”
John Sankey Sutherson, appointed as Country Director – Resources & Strategic Partnerships, brings more than two decades of experience in international business development, strategic partnerships and resource mobilisation. He previously worked with HelpAge India and Room to Read, where he served as Senior Development Director for Corporations and Foundations across the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
Commenting on his new role, he said, “Sustained social impact depends on partnerships built around shared purpose, trust and measurable outcomes. I look forward to deepening engagement with corporates, philanthropies, institutions and development partners to create lasting change for underserved communities.”
According to Smile Foundation, the appointments will strengthen its leadership across organisational strategy, people development and partnerships as it continues to expand sustainable development programmes across India.
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