Our mission is to build on Kofi Annan’s legacy for peace by advancing democracy, youth leadership and international cooperation.
The Kofi Annan Foundation is an independent not-for-profit organization, established in Switzerland in 2007 by the late former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Our Board comprises prominent personalities from the public and private sectors, and we have a small, agile team based in Geneva, Switzerland.
Inclusion, diversity, gender equality, and sustainability are at the heart of everything we do.
We work to build a fairer and more peaceful world, where no one is left behind,
democratic principles and the rule of law are upheld, and divides are bridged through dialogue and international cooperation.
What we do
Within our core work areas of peace, youth empowerment, democracy and international cooperation, we:
- Bring experts together to address global challenges
- Facilitate transitions to peace and promote dialogue and reconciliation to build trust
- Put forward recommendations to governments, civil society and business to protect democracy
- Create and select initiatives that promote Kofi Annan’s values.
How we work
The Kofi Annan Foundation works closely with partners from international and regional organizations, foundations, universities and civil society. We channel expertise, convene all stakeholders around the table and forge coalitions of trusted influence that can make change happen.
Board members
Kofi Annan Foundation
Elhadj As Sy
Chair of the Board
Mr Elhadj As Sy was Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) from 2014 to 2019. He currently serves as co-chair of the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board and Kofi Annan Foundation‘s Chair of the Board. Prior to his leadership role at the IFRC, Mr Sy was UNICEF’s Director […]
Kojo Annan
Entrepreneur and Investor
Kojo Annan is a serial entrepreneur and investor with an extensive global network and strong track record of growing new businesses across international markets. Kojo is passionate about convening powerful conversations around strategy, the digital transformation of Africa, global citizenship, sports as a tool for development and equality, leadership, global equity in a post-pandemic world […]
Louise Arbour
Lawyer, prosecutor, and jurist
Ms Arbour has a long and distinguished career in international affairs. She previously served as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunals for the Former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, and United Nations Secretary General’s Special Representative for International Migration. She is a former justice of the Supreme Court […]
Samson Itodo
Lawyer and democracy activist from Nigeria
Samson Itodo is a Nigerian lawyer and founder of Yiaga Africa, an ONG promoting democracy in Africa. Over the last decade, Samson Itodo has worked to facilitate the inclusion of young people in politics and promote electoral integrity. One of his biggest achievements has been the successful campaign #NotTooYoungToRun to lower the minimum age for […]
Kyung-wha Kang
President and CEO of Asia Society
Kyung-wha Kang is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Ewha Woman’s University in Seoul, Korea. She served as the 38th and the first female Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea from June 2017 to February 2021. Throughout her career in Seoul, Geneva, and New York, she has been a steadfast advocate for human […]
Susana Malcorra
Former Foreign Minister of Argentina
Susana Malcorra is the former Foreign Minister of Argentina, former Chief of Staff to the United Nations Secretary-General and Under-Secretary-General for Field Support and former chief operating officer and Deputy Executive Director of the World Food Programme. Ms Malcorra’s career includes leading Telecom Argentina as its CEO, serving as Deputy Executive Director at the World […]
Bernard Mensah
President of International, Bank of America
Bernard Mensah is President of International for Bank of America and is a member of Bank of America’s Executive Management Team (MTM). He is the Chief Executive Officer of Merrill Lynch International (MLI), Bank of America’s largest International subsidiary and BANA London Branch Head. Based in London, Bernard previously jointly led the bank’s Global Fixed […]
Michael Møller
Former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations
Mr Michael Møller has over 40 years of experience as an international civil servant in the United Nations. He began his career in 1979 with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. He worked for the United Nations in different capacities in New York, Mexico, Iran, Haiti, Cyprus and Geneva. Mr Møller served as Director-General […]
John Nagulendran
Business leader, lawyer, philanthropist
John founded Nagulendran Philanthropy Alliance with a mission to harness the strategic value of private philanthropy to promote a more peaceful world. John helped established the first ever Chair in Peace Mediation in Switzerland at the Geneva Graduate Institute to offer a vibrant space for identifying new approaches in conflict resolution and to re-establish dialogue […]
Ivan Pictet
Former Senior Partner of Pictet & Cie and former President of Fondation pour Genève
Ivan Pictet is a former Senior Partner of Pictet & Cie. He was President of Fondation pour Genève until 30 September 2020. He joined Pictet & Cie in 1972 after earning an MBA from the School of Business Administration at the University of St. Gallen and starting his career at Morgan Stanley in New York. […]
Peter Piot
Physician and microbiologist, Special Advisor on global health security
Peter Piot MD PhD is a Professor of Global Health and former Director of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. He is a Special Advisor to EC President von der Leyen on European and Global Health Security, EU Chief Scientific Advisor Epidemics, and a visiting professor at the Rega Institute, KU Leuven, the […]
Ghassan Salamé
Lebanese academic, politician and diplomat
Ghassan Salamé is a Lebanese academic, politician and diplomat. He served as the Lebanese Minister of Culture from 2000 to 2003. Also, he founded Dean of the Paris School of International Affairs (PSIA) and, was a professor of International Relations Emeritus at Sciences Po. Ghassan Salamé also taught international relations at the American University of […]
Neha Sanghrajka
Negotiator, mediator, and author
Neha Sanghrajka is a negotiator, mediator, and author with extensive experience delivering definitive and positive outcomes in high-stakes negotiations, including working for Kofi Annan in Kenya on the 2007 electoral crisis, dialogue, and reform process. She has extensive experience in peacebuilding and mediation with the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD Centre), the United Nations (UN) […]
Nane Annan
Board Member Emerita, nutrition advocate, artist, and former lawyer
Nane Annan is a Swedish lawyer and painter. She is also the half-niece of Raoul Wallenberg, a renowned Swedish humanitarian. After working as an Assistant Judge at the Administrative and Fiscal Court of Appeal in Stockholm, she joined the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva in 1981. Nane Annan married Kofi […]
Team members
Kofi Annan Foundation
Corinne Momal-Vanian
Executive Director
Maud Roure
Deputy Executive Director and Head of Programmes
Li Ling Low
Head of Finance and Administration
Genna Ingold
Head of Communications
Nelly Martin
Travel and Administration Coordinator
Declan O’Brien
Head – Democracy and Multilateralism Programmes
Teresa Lévigne
Senior Programme Manager – Democracy and Multilateralism
Valentin Wagee
Programme Manager – Democracy and Multilateralism
Sofia Anton Martins
Programme Manager – Youth & Peace
Linda Peterhans
Programme Manager – Youth Leadership
Alexandre Najib El Meouchi
Programme Officer – Youth & Peace
Anja Tresse
Programme Manager – Youth & Peace
Adrien Coulon
Communication Associate
Special Advisors
Kofi Annan Foundation
Michaelene Welsh
Institutional Resource Mobilization & Partnerships Advisor
Sébastien F. W. Brack
Democracy, Elections and European Institutions Advisor
Patrick Costello
Special Advisor
Anja Kasperssen
Special Advisor on Digital Technologies, Equity, Peace and Democracy
Alan Doss
Special Advisor
Arnauld Akodjenou
Special Advisor for Africa
How we are funded
We are funded by public and private donors and take particular care to ensure funding sources are beyond reproach and that contributions are politically untied.
Thanks to our funders
Support the Foundation
Individual Donors
Nane Annan
Alain Dick
Ivan Pictet
Gillian Sorensen
Jenö Staehelin
Strive Masiyiwa
Do you want to help build a fairer, more peaceful world?
Support us with your philanthropic gifts and grants
FAQ
Kofi Annan was the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations (1997-2006), and was the first Secretary-General to emerge from the ranks of United Nations staff. In 2001 Kofi Annan and the United Nations were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace. Read Mr Annan’s full biography
The Kofi Annan Foundation is an independent not-for-profit organisation, legally incorporated in Switzerland in 2007 by Kofi Annan.
We build on Kofi Annan’s legacy for peace, working for a fairer and more peaceful world, where no one is left behind, democratic principles and the rule of law are upheld, and divides are bridged through dialogue and international cooperation.
The Foundation has a small secretariat based in Geneva.
See our Team Members on this page
The Kofi Annan Foundation is an independent foundation funded by public and private donors. We take particular care to ensure funding sources are beyond reproach and that contributions are politically untied.
If you would like to support our work and become a donor, please email us at [email protected]
As a non-grant-making Foundation, The Kofi Annan Foundation does not make grants nor award scholarships, grants or funding to outside projects.
Invitations can be sent by email at [email protected], or by post to:
Kofi Annan Foundation P.O. Box 157 1211 Geneva 20
Media requests should be sent to [email protected]
Any open positions will be advertised on our website under the category ‘Jobs’ and shared on the Kofi Annan Foundation LinkedIn page
As was the wish of Kofi Annan, his foundation the Kofi Annan Foundation is committed to protecting his legacy and honouring and promoting his values. As such, and in conjunction with his family, the Foundation has taken steps and secured rights (including trademarks) to protect the name “Kofi Annan” to ensure that the use of the name does not negatively impact the reputation, image or values of Mr. Kofi Annan.
We acknowledge, however, that other institutions or organisations may wish to honour the late Kofi Annan by using his name concerning projects or initiatives and, therefore anybody who wishes to make use of the name “Kofi Annan” is invited to submit a request to the foundation based on the information shared on the Safeguarding a Legacy page.
Please note that the Foundation reserves the right to decline a request without qualification.
Work with us
Interested in working with us or doing an internship? Discover our latest job offers.