Anil Thapliyal is well known for pioneering the design, development and implementation of well-known eMental Health initiatives around the globe. His reputation is built on the ground-breaking work for New Zealand, Canada, USA and Australia in the areas of strategy, policy and implementation of scalable eMental Health solutions such as the National Depression Initiative (The Lowdown & The Journal) in New Zealand. 

He has repeatedly demonstrated his leadership in both primary and secondary care in developing integrated systems across the care continuum ranging from promotion, prevention, treatment interventions to social support.  After having co-designed several digital mental health initiatives with mental health service users, he is guided by his firm conviction that “we must focus on the service user, their families and carers. If it does not work for them, it does not work.”

In recognition of his expertise in the eMental Health domain he was appointed as an Adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Health and Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand in 2014, then in 2018 received a Commemorative Award for his services to the eMental Health domain.

Anil has become a sought-after speaker both nationally and internationally, particularly on the topic of seamless integration of digital technologies in improving access to mental health care. 

At Auckland University of Technology, he led the establishment of an annual invitation only think tank on eMental Health – which in just under five years has become the leading international expert forum focussing on Implementation Science. Anil is now the Executive Director of the eMental Health International Collaborative which is supported by the Governments of Sweden, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. 

He is also the proud father of three grown up boys and an avid scuba diver.