Subscribe
Find us on

Our mission is to help build peaceful, democratic and resilient societies.

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.

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.

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.

Board Members

Founding Chair: 2008-2018 Ghana

Founder and Chairman of the Kofi Annan Foundation from 2008-2018. Former Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN).

Kofi Annan

Chair of the Board Senegal

Former Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)

Elhadj As Sy
Elhadj As Sy

Board MemberSweden

Nutrition advocate, artist, and former lawyer.

Nane Annan

Board MemberCanada

Canadian lawyer, prosecutor and jurist. Former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Louise Arbour

Board MemberNigeria

Samson is a lawyer from Nigeria and Founder of Yiaga Africa, an NGO whose mission is to promote democracy in Africa.

Samson Itodo
Samson Itodo

Board MemberKorea, Republic of

A former Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Republic of Korea, Ms Kang was previously United Nations Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator and Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights. She is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the Graduate School of International Studies at Ewha Womans University.

Kyung-wha Kang

Board Member Switzerland

Swiss politician and lawyer, and was a member of the Swiss Federal Council between 2006 and 2018. She was elected as President of the Swiss Confederation for 2010 and 2017.

Doris Leuthard

Board MemberArgentina

Former Foreign Minister of Argentina, former United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Field Support and former chief operating officer and Deputy Executive Director of the World Food Programme.

Susana Malcorra

Board MemberUnited Kingdom

President of International,  Bank of America and Chief Executive Officer, Merrill Lynch International.

Bernard Mensah

Board MemberDenmark

Former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and the 12th Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva.

Michael Møller

Board Member Switzerland

Former Senior Partner of Swiss multinational private bank Pictet & Cie and former President of Fondation pour Genève.

Ivan Pictet

Board Member Belgium

Belgian physician and microbiologist. Special Advisor on global health security to the President of the European Commission. Founding Executive Director of UNAIDS and former Under Secretary-General of the United Nations, and former Director of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

Peter Piot
a light-skinned man wearing glasses standing in front of a lush green hedge

Board MemberLebanon

Lebanese academic, politician and diplomat.

Ghassan Salamé

Team Members

Corinne Momal-Vanian

Executive Director

Read more
Li Ling Low

Head of Finance & Administration

Read more
Maud Roure

Deputy Director of Programmes

Read more
Sofia Anton

Programme Manager - Youth & Peace

Read more
Linda Peterhans (she/her)

Programme Manager - Youth Leadership

Read more
Mohammad Shehadat

Project Associate – Youth & Peace

Declan O’Brien

Head of Democracy and Multilateralism Programmes

Read more
Teresa Lévigne

Senior Programme Manager – Democracy and Multilateralism

Read more
Karen Zamberia

Programme Manager – Democracy and Multilateralism

Read more
Ayooshee Portrait
Ayooshee Dookhee

Project Manager - Kofi Annan Commission on Food Security

Genna Ingold (she/her)

Head of Communications

Read more
Laura Kerbidi (she/her)

Communications Associate

Read more
Nelly Martin

Events & Travel Coordinator

Read more

Special Advisors

Arnauld Akodjenou

Special Advisor for Africa

Read more
Sebastian F. W. Brack

Senior Advisor - Representative to the European Union

Read more
Michaelene Welsh

Institutional Resource Mobilization & Partnerships

Read more
Alan Doss

Special Advisor

Read more
Anja Kaspersen

Special Advisor on Digital Technologies, Equity, Peace and Democracy

Where the money goes

Frequently Asked Questions

I would like to know more about Kofi Annan…

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

When was the Kofi Annan Foundation created?

The Kofi Annan Foundation is an independent not-for-profit organisation, legally incorporated in Switzerland in 2007 by Kofi Annan.

What is the mission of the Kofi Annan Foundation?

The mission of the Kofi Annan Foundation is to help build peaceful, democratic and resilient societies.

How is the Kofi Annan Foundation staffed?

The Foundation has a small secretariat based in Geneva.
See our Team Members on this page

How is the Kofi Annan Foundation funded?

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 info[at]kofiannanfoundation.org

Does the Kofi Annan Foundation award grants or scholarships?

As a non-grant-making Foundation, The Kofi Annan Foundation does not make grants nor award scholarships, grants or funding to outside projects.

How can I invite the Kofi Annan Foundation to attend or participate in an event?

Invitations can be sent by email at info[at]kofiannanfoundation.org, or by post to
Kofi Annan Foundation P.O. Box 157 1211 Geneva 20

I am a journalist and would like to request an interview with someone at the Kofi Annan Foundation

Media requests should be sent to media[at]kofiannanfoundation.org

How can I find out about employment opportunities and internships?

Any open positions will be advertised on our website under the category ‘work with us’ and shared on the Kofi Annan Foundation LinkedIn page

How can I apply to use the trademarked name, Kofi Annan?

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 in relation to 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 theUsage Request page

Please note that the Foundation reserves the right to decline a request without qualification.