A Kenyan human rights lawyer has been picked as the new President of a multinational firm whose headquarters are in the US.
Binaifer Nowrojee has been voted in as the new President of the Open Society Foundations, taking over the instruments of power from Mark Malloch-Brown who is stepping down from his role in June 2024.
Nowrojee’s appointment has made her the first woman from the global south to head the Open Society Foundations.
The OSF Board of Directors unanimously voted to appoint Binaifer Nowrojee, who currently serves as the vice president of Programs.
“She embodies the spirit of OSF, past and present. I am confident she will ably lead OSF into the challenging next phase of our work,” said Alex Soros, chair of OSF.
Previously, she has held a range of senior positions at OSF, including East Africa Foundation director, regional director for Asia Pacific, and vice president for Organizational Transformation.
Before her tenure at Open Society, Nowrojee also served as legal counsel at Human Rights Watch and as a staff attorney at the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights.
Nowrojee holds a juris doctor from Columbia Law School and a master of laws degree from Harvard Law School, underscoring her strong academic foundation and expertise in international law and human rights.
“Heading this remarkable institution, the world’s largest funder of human rights, at a time when justice and compassion are under siege, is by far the biggest, and best, challenge I have ever faced. I am proud to be president and stand ready to join my colleagues in the fight,” she stated on her appointment.
Open Society Foundations financially supports civil society groups around the world, with the stated aim of advancing justice, education, public health and independent media.
In her acceptance speech, Nowrojee noted that she would use her experience while serving in Kenya, Rwanda and other East African countries to deepen inclusion at the Open Society Foundations.
