Fairtrade International seeks new CEO

Fairtrade International has announced that CEO Harriet Lamb is leaving after 16 years. Lamb has accepted the top spot at International Alert, one of Europe’s largest peacebuilding organisations. As the new CEO of International Alert, Lamb will be advising the not-for-profit on how best to direct their efforts in more than 25 countries around the world to support peace. “I am hugely excited by this opportunity,” said Lamb. “I have long taken the view that poverty, climate change and conflict are the three big issues of our time, and that all of them are closely connected. The current crisis facing so many people coming to Europe reminds us that peacebuilding and conflict resolution are more important than ever.” Lamb’s long list of career achievements include her work with farmers and landless labourer cooperatives in India, campaigning on issues such as the national minimum wage in the UK and the establishment of an EU code of conduct on arms sales. Lamb was also the first woman to be names a Cambridge University honorary fellow. Fairtrade International’s Executive Commercial Officer Martin Hill will take over as Interim CEO, when Lamb finishes on 6 November. Hill has served in senior positions in Fairtrade for the past nine years and previously worked as the Cooperative Group’s Chief Officer in the South East. “Of course we are sad to see Harriet go, but we congratulate her on her appointment,” said Chair of the Fairtrade International board Marike de Peña. “She has been an inspirational leader for Fairtrade and I’m sure she will be a great success at International Alert. Now we will start the search for a dynamic new leader.”