The Skoll Foundation board of directors have announced the appointment of former Ambassador to South Africa Donald H. Gips a CEO.

Gips comes to the Skoll Foundation from the Washington, D.C. based Albright Stonebridge Group where he leads the firm’s Africa Practice.

‘Don Gips is an exceptional leader who will bring global insight, proven relationship‐building capacity, diverse professional experiences, and impeccable character to the Skoll Foundation,” said Jeff Skoll, founder and chairman of the Skoll Foundation. “Don has been trusted and tested at the highest levels of the public and private sectors. From his early days as one of the architects of AmeriCorps to his current work across the African continent, Don’s focus has evolved but his passion for service has never wavered. I am confident that Don will lead the Skoll Foundation forward in important new ways.’

Previously, he served as Director of Presidential Personnel under President Obama. After that, he served as US Ambassador to South Africa.

One of Gips’s earliest professional experiences was helping design and create a $650 million start‐up government corporation to promote community service. This eventually became the AmeriCorps program, still operational today. He also served the Clinton Administration as Chief Domestic Policy Advisor to Vice President Al Gore and Chief of the International Bureau at the Federal Communications Commission.

Early in Gips’s career, he was the recipient of a Rockefeller Fellowship, awarded to recognise leadership potential. He developed a clean water project with Sarvodaya, a leading social enterprise, and managed a refugee camp in Sri Lanka.

‘I am deeply humbled to join the Skoll Foundation team at this critical juncture of the organization’s growth, and at a time when the complexity of the world’s most pressing problems demands innovative, sustainable solutions,” said Gips. “This is a full circle return to where my career began: exploring how unconventional approaches can unlock societal potential and solve problems. I welcome the challenge to build upon this organization’s incredible legacy and accelerate progress toward a more sustainable, peaceful, and prosperous world.’

Don Gips will take up the role from interim president, Richard Fahey, on 9 April 2019.

For more see: http://skoll.org/