Global Funds Superfriends

Reception in New York (21 September 2009)

Each continent has its Friends of the Global Fund. For her first appearance as Ambassador of the Global Fund on American soil, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy was received by Tom Freston and Peter Chernin at a reception of US Superfriends of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Tom Freston, husband of the successful health book writer Kathy Freston, one of the original founders of the MTV music channel, and subsequently head of the Viacom group, is today chairman of the One campaign launched with singer Bono to combat global poverty. Again with the U2 singer, Tom Freston is involved in the RED operation. He also sits on the committee of the American Museum of History and the board of animation studio Dreamworks and works as a consultant, one of his most famous clients being star TV presenter Oprah Winfrey. Until very recently, Peter Charnin was head of News Corporation, Robert Murdoch’s media group and the film studio Fox Entertainment. He was also Corporate Director of American Express. In 2006, while preparing to set up his own production company, Chernin Entertainment, Peter Chernin created NGO Malaria No More, a programme aimed at eradicating malaria, at the White House. On Monday 21 September 2009, Tom Freston and Peter Charnin recognized Carla Bruni-Sarkozy for her work with the Global Fund in the presence of the French President, Michel Kazatchkine, Mrs Yoo Soon-taek, the wife of the Secretary-General of the UN, Natasha Billmoria, Queen Rania of Jordan and Brian Grazer, Charlie Rose, Christy Turlington and Howard Schultz.