Following the end of Lord Mark Price’s term, Dr Nyagoy Nyong’o has been appointed as Fairtrade Foundation‘s new Chair of the Board of Trustees.
Having served as the CEO of Fairtrade Africa and CEO of Fairtrade International, Nyong’o is described by the organisation as “one of the most expert and respected leaders in global Fairtrade”. She has a PhD in forestry and prior to joining Fairtrade was an auditor for FLOCERT.
“I am delighted to take this opportunity to steer the future of Fairtrade in the UK. Having worked with Fairtrade for a long time, we have a vision for Fairtrade to get closer to producers, and for the decision-making and leadership to be increasingly driven from the global South. This is what gives Fairtrade authenticity with the public, but also what enables Fairtrade to be such an impactful partner with companies, as no other ethical label is so closely rooted in the reality of producers’ experience,” says Nyong’o.
Based in Kenya, Nyong’o will start the role on 1 October and will regularly visit the United Kingdom to ensure the Fairtrade Foundation’s efforts are focused on the needs and ambitions of farmers and workers.
With Nyong’o’s appointment, the organisation has announced that CEO Michael Gidney will be stepping down from his role at the end of the year. According to Fairtrade International, during his 12-year tenure Gidney has “skilfully steered the Fairtrade Foundation to ensure that Fairtrade in the UK is now firmly on the agenda”.
“There is never a perfect time to leave, but with Fairtrade in good shape, after 12 years as CEO, it feels like the right moment – and an exciting time for my successor to shape the next phase of the Fairtrade Foundation’s future,” says Gidney.
“In our 30th year we have much to celebrate, and we know what’s needed for transformational change. We have an innovative agenda for scaling up, through pre-competitive collaboration, starting with Shared Impact, which will shift entire markets. We are working ever more closely with our producer partners – and we are as ambitious for lasting change as we were on Day 1.”
