What will Mark Suzman bring to new role as CEO of Gates Foundation?
Monday, December 9, 2019
By Catherine Cheney
On Thursday, Sue Desmond-Hellmann, CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, announced she will step down early next year. Her successor, Gates’ Chief Strategy Officer Mark Suzman, has the potential to further expand the foundation’s global influence, several development professionals told Devex following the announcement.
In an email to staff, Desmond-Hellmann explained that she and Bill and Melinda Gates have spent recent months discussing the best person to replace her to lead the world’s largest private foundation. They selected 12-year foundation veteran Suzman, president of global policy and advocacy and CSO at the foundation, who will assume the role on Feb.1, 2020.
“Those of you who have had the pleasure of working with Mark know that he leads with level-headed diplomacy, integrity, grace, and good humor under pressure — all qualities needed to steer this great enterprise in a world of increasing complexity and volatility,” she said in an email shared with Devex.
Photo courtesy of World Economic Forum.
