The Global Board of Advisors strengthens the Council on Foreign Relations’ understanding of international perspectives while enhancing the dialogue between US leaders in international affairs and their counterparts from other countries. The Global Board of Advisors brings together the experience and knowledge of leading policymakers, business leaders, academics, and civil society pioneers from 25 countries. The Council is chaired by Carlyle Group Co-Founder, Co-Chairman, and Philanthropist David M. Rubenstein. Nairobi, Kenya – January 15, 2025 – The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), the American think tank specialising in US Foreign Policy and International Relations, has welcomed Dr James Mwangi as a member of its Global Board of Advisors. Founded in 1921, CFR is an independent and nonpartisan thought leader, based in New York City and Washington, DC. Its membership includes senior politicians, secretaries of state, CIA directors, bankers, lawyers, professors, corporate directors, CEOs, and prominent media figures. Now in its twelfth year, the Global Board of Advisors strengthens CFR’s understanding of international perspectives while enhancing the dialogue between US leaders in international affairs and their counterparts from other countries. CFR meetings convene government officials, global business leaders, and prominent members of the intelligence and foreign-policy communities to discuss international issues. CFR is also the publisher of the prestigious bi-monthly journal Foreign Affairs since 1922 and publishes research on foreign policy issues. “I am honoured to have been asked to join the Council on Foreign Relations Global Board of Advisors and I’m grateful for the chance to bring a positive African narrative to the discussions,” said Equity Group Managing Director and CEO, Dr James Mwangi. “The chance to explain Africa’s contributions to the world now and for decades to come as the continent takes its place on the global stage will mean greater productive collaborations for countries around the world to sustainably partner with the people of Africa,” he added. The Global Board of Advisors (GBA) consists of prominent individuals, including business leaders, noted academics, and former government officials from developed and emerging-market countries. The prestigious group provides CFR with insight about their regions and offers a mechanism for members of the GBA to join discussions on international relations and the U.S. role in the world. Dr. Mwangi is among 33 members of the Global Board of Advisors which include David M. Rubenstein, Co-founder and Co-Chairman, The Carlyle Group, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Council on Foreign Relations (US); Michael Froman, President of the Council on Foreign Relations (US); Henadi Al Saleh, Chairperson, Agility (Kuwait); Oliver Bate, CEO and Chairman, Allianz SE (Germany); Julie Bishop, Chancellor, Australian National University (Australia); James Brocklebank, Managing Partner, Advent International (UK); David Cameron, Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (UK); Anatoly Chugays, Former CEO, Rusnano (Russia); Aliko Dangote, President and CEO, Dangote Group (Nigeria); Claudio Descalzi, CEO, ENI (Italy); Paul G. Desmarais Jr., Chairman, Power Corporation of Canada (Canada); Andre Esteves, Chairman and Senior Partner, BTG Pactual (Brazil); Jose Antonio Fernandez Carbajal, Executive Chairman of the Board, FEMSA (Mexico); Christoph Heusgen, Former Permanent Representative of Germany to the UN, Chairman, Munich Security Conference (Germany); Fred Hu, Founder and Chairman, Primavera Capital Group (China); Mo Ibrahim, Founder and Chairman, Mo Ibrahim Foundation, (Sudan); Ali Y. Koc, Vice Chairman, Koc Holdings AS (Turkey); Frank Lowy, Chairman of the Board, Lowy Institute (Australia); Andronico Luksic Craig, Chairman, Quinenco SA (Chile); Sunil Bharti Mittal, Founder and Chairman, Bharti Enterprises (India); Takeshi Niinami, President and CEO, Suntory Holdings Limited (Japan); Lubna Olayan, Chair Executive Committee and Deputy Chair, Olayan Financing Company (Saudi Arabia); Gbenga Oyebode, Cofounder and Of Counsel, Aluko and Oyebode (Nigeria); Victor Pinchuk, Founder, EastOne Group (Ukraine); Carlos Rodriguez-Pastor, Founder and Chairman, Intercorp, and Founder and Managing Partners, Nexus Group (Peru); Suzan Sabanca, Chairman, Akbank (Turkey); John Sawers, Former Chief, Secret Intelligence Service MI6, Executive Chairman, Newbridge Advisory (UK); Javier Solana, President, EsadeGeo-Center for Global Economy and Geopolitics (Spain); Mostafa Terrab, Chairman and CEO, OCP Group (Morocco); Tidjane Thiam, Founder, Freedom Acquisition I Corporation (France and Ivory Coast); Helle Thorning-Schmidt, Former Prime Minister, Kingdom of Denmark (Denmark); Patrick Walujo, Cofounder and Co-Managing Partner, Northstar Group (Indonesia). The Council on Foreign Relations Africa Program produces `Africa in Transition’, a blog that focuses on African political and security issues. The programme hosts three roundtable series: Africa Strategic Opportunities, Political Transitions in Africa, and U.S. Strategic African Partners. The programme’s senior fellows regularly lecture students, brief those in government, business, civil society, and the media, and publish op-eds, articles, and books related to Africa. About Dr. James Mwangi, CBS Dr. James Mwangi is a career banker acclaimed for his strong commitment to inclusive finance. He is the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Equity Group Holdings Plc and Executive Chairman of Equity Group Foundation. He is one of Africa’s most renowned thought leaders, a visionary, a disruptive entrepreneur, and a philanthropist. As a champion of sustainable socioeconomic transformation, Dr. Mwangi believes that individuals and societies have the potential to solve their socioeconomic challenges if they are given the opportunity and access to resources. Dr. Mwangi is credited with providing the leadership that saw a small and technically insolvent Building Society transform into Equity Group Holdings, one of the largest and most successful inclusive and integrated financial institutions in the world. Equity has been named the Second Strongest Financial Brand on Earth in 2024 by Brand Finance. It has also been recognised as the strongest financial brand in Africa by Brand Africa in 2024 and the most valuable brand in the region. Dr. James Mwangi was awarded the 2012 Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur of the Year, becoming the first business leader from Sub-Saharan Africa to win this prestigious award. He was also among the finalists who were inducted into the Entrepreneur of The Year Hall of Fame and the World Entrepreneurship Academy. While presenting the award, Jim Turley, Global Chairman and CEO of Ernst & Young, said, “Over the past 26 years, entrepreneurs have done more than any other group to stimulate innovation, job creation, and prosperity during both periods of growth and in challenging economic conditions. James epitomises the vision and determination that set entrepreneurs apart and is very worthy of the title Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur of The Year 2012.” He was also named among the Top 50 Emerging Market Business Leaders and the 20 most influential people in Africa in 2011 by Financial Times; named the 2012 Forbes Africa Person of the Year by Forbes Africa magazine and was recently named in the Bloomberg 50 list of people who defined 2019 globally. He is an honoree of the 2020 Oslo Business for Peace Award, also described as the ‘Nobel Prize for Business’. He currently serves on several international bodies as Chair or co-Chair or as an advisor. He was recently appointed to the World Bank Group High-Level Advisory Council on jobs to tackle looming crises. He is a member of the Nairobi Advisory Board of Columbia Global Centres, a member of the continent-wide PACT initiative, a Board member of the Economic Advisory Board of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Mastercard MEA Advisory Board, the Africa Leadership Academy in South Africa, the Global Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition. He is also a guest lecturer at Stanford, Columbia, MIT, Harvard, IESE, and Lagos Business School. More than 40 case studies have been written about the Equity Bank Tri-Engine Business Model globally. Locally in Kenya, he served as the founding Chair of Kenya’s Vision 2030 from inception in 2007 to 2019, the founding Chancellor Meru University of Science and Technology, and the Chairman of the Health Committee of Kenya COVID-19 Fund Board. He is the current and founding Chancellor of Open University of Kenya. For more information log on to: https://equitygroupholdings.com
