Denis Akakimpa MPH, MBA is the Director Strategic Planning and Partnerships at Makerere University-Johns Hopkins University (MU-JHU) Research Collaboration (MU-JHU Care Ltd), is a health care business strategist and public health scientist. A Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health, Denis received his Master of Public Health (MPH) from the University of Queensland, Australia, and was the recipient of Australia Awards for Africa, and the African Network for Drugs and Diagnostic Innovation award. He comes with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and is also a Medical Laboratory Scientist.

Over his 17-year career in the medical research space including as scientist, coordinator, manager, and investigator, he has contributed to research and provided technical leadership for many projects funded under various mechanisms in Uganda, including with nationwide scope. His research experience includes a scientist, coordinator, and investigator on various studies, and has contributed to scientific publications and diagnostic innovations protected by intellectual property rights in Uganda. He has extensive leadership experience in the medical research and care industry, including strategic management, business development, organizational design, and organizational development, program and project management. He has also led the design, implementation, and commercialization planning for diagnostic initiatives in the medical care space.

At MU-JHU, Denis is a division director overseeing the programs, grants, communications, ICT, Data Center, and spearheads the partnership building and resource mobilization mechanisms. He provides technical advice for strategic decisions and supports the highest levels of leadership at the Executive level and the Board for the execution of strategic and business plans.