Global Citizen Announces Expansion of Global and European Board

We are proud to announce the expansion of our Board of Directors, with appointments to both our Global and Europe Boards.?

New Global Board members include: Dr. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, former United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women; Judy A. Smith, Founder, CEO, Smith & Company; Erna Solberg, Former Prime Minister of Norway; Kristin Lemkau, CEO, J.P. Morgan Wealth Management;? Nir Bar Dea, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Bridgewater; and Diego Scotti, EVP & CMO, Verizon.?

We welcome to our Europe Board of Directors the appointment of new co-chair Sabrina Dhowre Elba, UN Goodwill Ambassador for IFAD, Dame Karen Pierce DCMG, British Ambassador to the US, and Sawsan Chebli, German politician, a former spokesperson to the German Federal Foreign minister, and permanent Secretary for Active Citizenship and International Relations and State of Berlin Delegate to the Federation.

This expansion of our Board of Directors emphasizes our commitment to addressing the most urgent challenges facing the world today, including breaking systemic barriers, taking climate action, empowering girls, and defending advocacy, aligned to our 2022 End Extreme Poverty NOW campaign.?

“We’re incredibly honored to have these outstanding leaders join Global Citizen’s Board of Directors at this important juncture in the campaign to end extreme poverty,” said Hugh Evans , Co-Founder and CEO of Global Citizen. “Their profound expertise, decades of experience, diversity of thought, and dedication to philanthropy make them powerful additions to our Board, and I look forward to working with them closely on our mission to end extreme poverty, empower girls and protect the planet.”?

These exceptional individuals are leaders of the highest caliber both within and beyond their respective fields of policy, technology, philanthropy, finance, media and marketing:?

Dr. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka is the former United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women . A Hauser Leader at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Center for Public Leadership, she served as Deputy President of South Africa from 2005 to 2008. As a global advocate for women and girls, Dr. Mlambo-Ngcuka has successfully mobilized a historic USD $40B for women and girls around the world.?

For more than 25 years, Judy Smith has counseled presidents and world leaders through global crises, advised Fortune 50 CEOs through complex challenges, and advised some of the world’s highest-profile individuals. A former federal prosecutor and Deputy White House Press Secretary, her groundbreaking career served as the inspiration for the hit TV show "Scandal."?

Erna Solberg served as the 35th prime minister of Norway from 2013 to 2021, and was the country’s second female Prime Minister. From 2014 to 2022, she co-chaired the UN Secretary General’s Advocacy group for the Millennium Development Goals and Sustainable Development Goals, with a particular interest in ensuring quality education for girls and children, and in combating climate change and its impacts.?

Throughout her career, Kristin Lemkau has been listed among the world’s most influential, innovative, powerful and daring leaders as the current CEO of J.P. Morgan Wealth Management and during her tenure as the CMO of JPMorgan Chase. A champion of advancing workplace diversity, Kristin has been at the forefront of building the Wealth Management business and has led global brand, media, sponsorships, data and analytics, performance marketing and consumer communications.?

Nir Bar Dea is the Co-Chief Executive Officer of asset management firm, Bridgewater Associates . Nir previously served as Bridgewater's Deputy CEO and has shaped the firm’s future by driving the transformation of its investment engine, spearheading Bridgewater’s long-term strategic vision, and transitioning governance to the next generation of talent. Prior to joining Bridgewater, Nir served as an Advisor to the Israeli Mission to the United Nations in the 2014 General Assembly.?

Recognized marketing leader Diego Scotti has a track record of transformational brand-building across industries including financial services, retail, and digital media. Over the past seven years, Diego and his team have led the evolution of the Verizon brand from a phone company to a technology and experience brand led by purpose and innovation. He has been instrumental in building Verizon’s brand purpose -- to create the networks that move the world forward -- solidifying the company’s dedication to social impact and embedding its responsible business plan, Citizen Verizon, throughout the marketing organization.

Canadian model and actress Sabrina Dhowre Elba is a UN Goodwill Ambassador for IFAD. She recently visited an IFAD-supported project in Sierra Leone and has dedicated her efforts as IFAD Goodwill Ambassador to the challenges faced by rural women and girls. Born in Canada, of Somali descent, she also works with a variety of civil society organizations, including Conservation International, on environmental issues. She is passionate about gender equality and promoting the empowerment of women and girls worldwide.

Dame Karen Pierce DCMG is the British Ambassador to the USA. Prior to arriving in DC, Karen Pierce was the United Kingdom’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York since March 2018. Prior to this role, Karen served as the Director General for Political Affairs and Chief Operating Officer of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London from 2016.?

Sawsan Chebli is a German politician, she is former spokesperson to the German Federal Foreign minister and permanent Secretary for Active Citizenship and International Relations and State of Berlin Delegate to the Federation. Sawsan has more than ten years of experience in shaping debates and policies on identity politics, migration, Muslims in Western societies. She is a strong advocate for fighting racism, right-wing extremism, anti-Semitism, and strengthening social cohesion and democracy.?

We are incredibly honored to glean from their profound expertise, decades of experience, diversity of thought, and dedication to philanthropy, and look forward to working with them closely on our mission to end extreme poverty NOW.