AMSTERDAM--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 23, 2025--
EASE Holdings BV has promoted Dr. Kanyinsola Oyeyinka to Chief Executive Officer to succeed Imraan Soomra, who will, effective May 1, take on a new role as Non-Executive Director of EASE South Africa, the group’s most advanced unit.
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The appointments come as EASE accelerates the rollout of its Equipment-as-a-Service model, which enables clinics and hospitals to access state-of-the-art PET-CT and MRI scanners, surgical robots, and other high-value machines without significant capital outlay by paying on a per-scan or per-event basis to align their costs with revenue. EASE South Africa is set to lead the rapid expansion of the service after announcing an agreement this month for Standard Bank to provide debt funding for future installations.
Dr. Oyeyinka, who previously served in the UK National Health Service as a medical doctor and had senior roles at the World Bank and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, has worked across the full healthcare value chain from frontline clinical care to building sustainable diagnostic and oncology platforms and shaping systems-level health reforms. During her three years as Senior Vice President at EASE, Dr. Oyeyinka has led operations in South Africa and Ghana, and driven strategic cross-border scaling with a clear vision for delivering world-class medical technology across Africa and other emerging markets.
“It is thanks to the coordinated leadership between Imraan and Kanyinsola that EASE has built a solid foundation, secured commercial debt funding, and grown our installed base through trusted partnerships,” said Frans van Schaik, Chairman of EASE. “Through her vast experience and commitment, Kanyinsola brings continuity, clarity and passion in taking over the mantle from Imraan, who remains central to driving the biggest component of the EASE network in South Africa.”
EASE’s equipment-as-a-service model has been proven with several installations in recent months. Commissioning of a PET-CT scanner at the Precision Nuclear Oncology and Theranostics facility (PNOAT) in Rustenburg, South Africa, earlier this year followed the deployment of a da Vinci surgical robot in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and an advanced MRI diagnostic imaging system in Akwatia, Ghana.
Without the burden of heavy upfront equipment costs, a longstanding barrier for many healthcare centres in accessing the latest technology, capital is freed up for priorities such as increasing hospital beds and nursing staff. A first-of-its-kind for Africa, this initiative is set to change the healthcare landscape for many hospitals and clinics.
“EASE is more than a business; it’s a platform to rethink how healthcare infrastructure is delivered, financed, and sustained,” Dr. Oyeyinka said. “I’m proud to lead an organisation that is empowering hospitals and clinics to be more deliberate in their use of limited resources to better serve patients.”
The culmination of long-term strategic planning, EASE’s leadership transition ensures that the company enters its next chapter with both stability and momentum. The role draws on the full spectrum of Dr. Oyeyinka’s experience, having served as a doctor, a health financing consultant, a healthcare investment adviser and a member of EASE’s management team.
“Dr. Oyeyinka truly embodies our mission and has been central to our journey to this point,” said Imraan Soomra. “I look forward to continuing our work together with Dr. Oyeyinka at the helm developing EASE in its next international growth phase.”
About EASE
Equipment-as-a-Service (EASE ® ) is a pay-per-use program that provides businesses and organisations with cost-effective access to state-of-the-art healthcare equipment – and maintenance, training and support – with terms that match their circumstances and business needs. EASE South Africa is a subsidiary of EASE Holdings BV which is headquartered in the Netherlands and has operations in multiple African countries. To find out more about EASE, visit https://www.easeglobal.com
Dr. Kanyinsola Oyeyinka speaks at a healthcare event in Rustenburg, South Africa, in January 2025, where she shared insights from EASE’s growing footprint across the continent.
ST. LOUIS, MO. (AP) — At least four people died and others were hurt after severe storms including a possible tornado swept through St. Louis.
The storms Friday afternoon tore roofs off some buildings, ripped bricks off of siding and downed trees and power lines as residents were urged to take cover.
St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer confirmed the deaths.
At Centennial Christian Church, City of St. Louis Fire Department Battalion Chief William Pollihan told The Associated Press that three people had to be rescued after part of the church crumbled. One of those people died.
National Weather Service radar indicated that a tornado touched down between 2:30 p.m. and 2:50 p.m. in Clayton, Missouri, in the St. Louis area. It received reports of damages, mostly downed trees, weather service meteorologist Marshall Pfahler said.
The apparent tornado touched down in the area of Forest Park, home to the St. Louis Zoo and the site of the 1904 World’s Fair and Olympic Games the same year, Pfahler said.
Police were urging no travel and said on social media that first responders were being called to storm damaged areas.
“If you do not have to travel, PLEASE STAY HOME,” the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department said in the post.
The St. Louis Zoo posted a message on X, the messaging platform formerly known as Twitter, that it would remain closed for the rest of the day because of the weather. The post included no information on damages, a zoo spokesperson didn’t immediately return a phone message seeking comment.
“We can’t definitively say whether or not it was a tornado -- it likely was,” Pfahler said.
Radar also confirmed a tornado above Venice, Illinois, about 2:50 p.m. CDT. It could be accompanied by golf ball-size hail, the National Weather Service in St. Louis said. Venice is northeast of St. Louis, just across the Mississippi River.
The weather service described the tornado as “extremely dangerous” and moving east at 50 mph. The tornado is part of a severe weather system that spawned tornadoes in Wisconsin, downed trees, left thousands without power in the Great Lakes region and brought a punishing heat wave to Texas.
Weather forecasters warned that severe storms with hail and even hurricane-force winds could hobble parts of Appalachia and the Midwest on Friday. Tornadoes were also a risk there.
The National Weather Service said residents in Kentucky, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, parts of Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas and Ohio should brace for intense storms that could include baseball-sized hail.
The weather service's Storm Prediction Center said that “strong, potentially long-track tornadoes and very large hail” could be expected. The threat for damaging winds in excess of 75 mph will increase into this evening as storms grow into larger clusters.
Ahead of Friday night’s anticipated storm, Appalachian Power, which serves 1 million customers in West Virginia, Virginia and Tennessee, said Friday it requested 1,700 additional workers from neighboring utilities along with sending its own crews from unaffected areas to assist with service restoration.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, in a post on the social media platform X, put residents on notice.
“Kentucky, there is a dangerous weather system moving through our state with a significant round this afternoon through tonight. Strong winds, hail, flooding and tornadoes are possible starting at 2 p.m. CT in Western Kentucky and reaching Louisville around 5 p.m. ET,” he said.
Shelters were opening in the Paducah, Kentucky, area.
Faith Borden, a meteorologist in the National Weather Service Nashville office, said Friday that middle Tennessee could expect "all types of severe weather. Winds up to 70 mph. We’re talking seriously large hail up to 3 inches, which for us is big hail.”
Texas, meanwhile, faced searing heat. A heat advisory was issued for the San Antonio and Austin, with temperatures at a blistering 95 F (35 C) to 105 (40.5 C). Parts of the southern East Coast, from Virginia to Florida, battled with heat in the 90s.
The National Weather Service Office for Austin/San Antonio said Friday the humidity coming in over the weekend is expected to make temperatures hotter.
“There are concerns of heat exhaustion for people that aren’t taking proper precautions when they’re outdoors,” meteorologist Jason Runyen said. He advised those affected to take breaks and stay hydrated.
Overnight Thursday, storms accompanied by booming thunder, lightning displays and powerful winds swept through parts of Wisconsin, Illinois, northern Indiana and Michigan — leaving scores of trees down and thousands of homes without power.
Several tornadoes touched down Thursday in central Wisconsin. None of the twisters have received ratings yet, said Timm Uhlmann, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Green Bay.
“We’re still gathering reports,” Uhlmann said. “We’re assessing some of the damage and still getting video and pictures. The damage that we have is fairly widespread. There was a lot of large hail. In Eau Claire was one report of softball-sized hail.”
No injuries have been reported.
Surveys also were underway Friday of damage in Michigan to determine if any tornadoes touched down there, said Steven Freitag, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in White Lake Township, northwest of Detroit.
The storms were fueled by temperatures in the lower 80s that stretched from Illinois into Michigan and were activated by a cold front that pushed through, Freitag said.
By midday Friday, about 230,000 customers were without power in Michigan. An estimated 60,000 were without power in Indiana. Another 27,000 in total had no electricity in Illinois and Kentucky.
The threat of severe weather in Chicago delayed a Beyonce concert by about two hours Thursday at Soldier Field.
Associated Press writer Haya Panjwani in Washington and Heather Hollingsworth in Kansas City, Missouri, contributed to this story.
Part of Centennial Christian Church in St. Louis, Missouri, collapsed on Friday, May 16, 2025 when severe storms, including a possible tornado, swept through the city. (AP Photo/Michael Phillis)
Part of Centennial Christian Church in St. Louis, Missouri, collapsed on Friday, May 16, 2025 when severe storms, including a possible tornado, swept through the city. (AP Photo/Michael Phillis)
Part of Centennial Christian Church in St. Louis, Missouri, collapsed on Friday, May 16, 2025 when severe storms, including a possible tornado, swept through the city. (AP Photo/Michael Phillis)
Cody Sparks, left, and Eric Combs with Lewis Tree Service work to clear a tree off of a power line near on 92nd Street near Caledonia, Mich. on Friday, May 16. 2025. (Neil Blake/The Grand Rapids Press via AP)
Zeeland resident Maddie Pellegrini clears debris outside her family's home on 64th Avenue in Drenthe east of Zeeland, Mich. on Friday, May 16, 2025. (Isaac Ritchey/The Grand Rapids Press via AP)
A snapped utility pole stands awkwardly off of 92nd Street near Caledonia, Mich. on Friday, May 16. 2025. (Neil Blake/The Grand Rapids Press via AP)
A tree is uprooted from Thursday night's storm in Trail Creek, Ind., on Friday, May 16, 2025. (Donavan Barrier /La Porte County Herald-Dispatch via AP)
Downed trees are shown blocking Leo and Oakland Avenues in Trail Creek, Ind., on Friday, May 16, 2025. (Donavan Barrier /La Porte County Herald-Dispatch via AP)
A snapped tree is shown up against an apartment on Salem Court in Michigan City, Ind. on Friday, May 16, 2025. (Donavan Barrier /La Porte County Herald-Dispatch via AP)
Damage from Thursday's storm is shown along U.S. 20 in Michigan City, Ind., on Friday, May 16, 2025. (Donavan Barrier /La Porte County Herald-Dispatch via AP)
Trees lay in a playground in Dorr, Mich., after a severe storm ripped across Michigan the night before, on Friday, May 16. 2025. (Neil Blake /The Grand Rapids Press via AP)
A tree branch covers a bus in Dorr, Mich., after a severe storm ripped across Michigan the night before, on Friday, May 16. 2025. (Neil Blake /The Grand Rapids Press via AP)
A tree lays in a parking lot in Dorr, Mich., after a severe storm ripped across Michigan the night before, on Friday, May 16. 2025. (Neil Blake /The Grand Rapids Press via AP)
A tree lays on a house in Dorr, Mich., after a severe storm ripped across Michigan the night before, on Friday, May 16. 2025. (Neil Blake /The Grand Rapids Press via AP)
