Luminate’s new CEO will lead organisation’s work on tech accountability

Luminate has today announced the appointment of its next Chief Executive, Melanie Hui , effective 1 January 2025. Melanie will succeed Stephen King , who is leaving to pursue new opportunities after nearly seven years as CEO.?

Hui, appointed by Luminate’s Board of Directors after an internal recruitment process, has been with Luminate for five years leading the organisation’s work in Asia and most recently implementing a global strategy review. Prior to Luminate, Hui was Vice President of the Chandler Foundation, where she managed the organisation from its inception, and the Vice President at the Clermont Group, where she managed corporate communications for the multibillion-dollar investment firm.

“I am delighted to welcome Melanie as Luminate’s new CEO,” said Pat Christen , Luminate Board Chair:

“The Board is confident that Melanie will bring the strategic vision and passion needed to lead Luminate’s next phase of impact. Melanie is an experienced leader in philanthropy and throughout her career has worked to advance the rights and well-being of people and communities around the world. With her thoughtful guidance, Luminate recently conducted an important review of its strategic direction, and we are confident our work continues to evolve to meet today’s challenges. Melanie impressed the Board with her commitment to the organisation’s bold and exciting strategy, tackling some of the biggest issues people face around the world.”

“I'm thrilled to be stepping up to lead our organisation and am grateful every day for the commitments of our partners, grantees, staff, and Board," said incoming CEO Melanie Hui. "Together, I believe we can create a world where human rights and tech innovation can co-exist, enabling all of us to thrive.”

Hui will take over from current CEO Stephen King, who has led the organisation since its inception in 2018, and is leaving after a successful tenure supporting hundreds of partners around the world. Before Luminate, Stephen was a Partner at Omidyar Network, where he led the Governance & Citizen Engagement initiative and helped establish its global network of investments.?

“I am incredibly proud of the team at Luminate, and our hundreds of grantees and partners around the world, for what we have been able to achieve together," said King:

"Since we established Luminate almost seven years ago, we have supported over 500 amazing organisations and built an organisation which I believe is not only a trusted partner to many but a leader in the field. I am leaving a vibrant, highly capable organisation that has a strong, diverse leadership team with a clear vision for our work, a hugely talented, committed team across the world, and the support of a deeply experienced board to advise and guide them. Now is the right time to be handing the reins over to Melanie to take this work forward, and I am so pleased that the Board has recruited such a strong candidate from within Luminate.”

Said Hui:

“Around the world, every day we see profound challenges to the things that we at Luminate care about most – rights, justice, and agency, especially for the most marginalised people. We know the toll it takes on people’s lives and our social fabric when technology is weaponised for control or profit. At Luminate, we're determined to support those taking on this challenge. Together with the incredible team at Luminate, I look forward to leading our efforts to ensure that the design, development, and use of technology respects human rights and social justice."