Toronto, Canada, June 18, 2019/-The Mastercard Foundation announced the appointment of two new members to its Board of Directors, the Honourable Louise Arbour and Dominic Barton.
“I’m thrilled to welcome both Dominic and Louise to the Foundation,” says Jim Leech, Chair, Mastercard Foundation Board of Directors. “The depth of their knowledge and insight will be invaluable in our effort to achieve our goal of enabling 30 million young people in Africa to secure dignified and fulfilling employment.”
The Honourable Louise Arbour, a former justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, served as the United Nations Special Representative for International Migration until December 2018.
“The Mastercard Foundation is committed to creating positive global change, to equity, and inclusivity, and they understand that this requires a long-term view as well as working collaboratively with a wide array of stakeholders,” says Arbour. “These are values I share, and I look forward to being a part of what they do.”
Dominic Barton is a Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, where he was previously Global Managing Partner from 2009 to 2018. In his 32 years with the firm, he has advised clients in a range of industries including banking, consumer goods, technology, and manufacturing.
“Youth unemployment in Africa is one of the most complex challenges facing the world today and I am energized to join an organization that is trying to address it,” says Barton. “The Foundation has set an ambitious goal and I am optimistic about the enormous potential for positive change in Africa.”
Last year, the Mastercard Foundation launched its 2018-2030 strategy, Young Africa Works. The strategy unifies the Foundation’s work around the challenge of youth employment in Africa.
Current Board member Hutham Olayan is retiring from the Board after nine years of service. She was Chair of the Investment Committee.
“On behalf of the Foundation, I would like to recognize Hutham Olayan for her service and leadership,” says Leech, “Hutham joined the Foundation in 2010 because she was passionate about its mission, especially the role of education and entrepreneurship, and their impact on the lives of young men and women.”
The Mastercard Foundation Board of Directors currently includes: Jim Leech, CM, Chancellor of Queen’s University, Senior Advisor with McKinsey & Company, and retired CEO of Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan; Zein Abdalla, Retired President of PepsiCo, Inc; Valerie Amos, CH, Director of SOAS, University of London and former Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Co-ordinator; Doug Baillie, Retired Chief Human Resources Officer of Unilever; Craig Calhoun, Professor of Social Sciences, Arizona State University ; Jennifer Fonstad, Co-Founder, Aspect Ventures; Dr. Jendayi Frazer, Managing Partner, African Exchange Holdings Company, President of 50 Ventures, LLC and former U.S Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs; Jay Ireland, Retired President and CEO, GE Africa; and Festus Mogae, former President of the Republic of Botswana.