Anke Hövels is Lead Pharmaceuticals at KWF Dutch Cancer Society. She works at the intersection of drug development, access and public interest, representing the perspective of an independent public funder with a strong focus on keeping patients at the centre of decision-making.

Since 2005, she has been involved in access to medicines from different angles: within the pharmaceutical industry, in academia at Utrecht University, and currently at KWF. Founded in 1948, KWF has funded cancer research in the Netherlands for more than 75 years, including research into the development of new medicines. As a public charity, KWF invests in research across the full spectrum, from fundamental science to clinical studies, with the aim of improving survival and quality of life for patients.

In her current role, Anke focuses on access to innovative cancer treatments and on the conditions needed to ensure that publicly funded research ultimately translates into affordable and available therapies for patients. She takes a particular interest in the role of public–private collaboration in addressing systemic challenges in drug development and access.