By Baron Ike
Patrick Gaspard, has announced his intention to step down as the president of Open Society Foundations.
He did at an all-staff meeting Friday morning where he stated that he will be stepping down at the end of the year.
Mark Malloch-Brown, former UN deputy secretary-general and UK minister of state and current member of Open Society’s Global Board, will succeed him, effective January 1.
A statement by Alex Soros Deputy Chair of the Global Board Open Society Foundations on Friday said: “I want to take this opportunity to recognize the enormous impact that Patrick has had during his three years at the helm of our foundations.
“During his tenure, he led our rapid response to the profound challenges presented by COVID-19, supporting domestic workers, caregivers, the undocumented, those in the informal and gig economies, and others left out and left behind by government policy.
“Under his leadership, we offered protections for refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers, who face COVID-19’s many risks with virtually no structural support. We are investing in the push to make emerging vaccines and treatments available and accessible to all.”
Soros added: “Following the death this spring of George Floyd in Minnesota, Patrick led our response to the uprising—in the United States and around the world—as people from all walks of life took to the streets to protest police brutality and structural racism.
“Thanks to his efforts, Open Society invested more than $220 million in building power in Black communities—including $150 million in five-year, unrestricted grants to a set of organizations that helped to create and will continue to lead the drive toward racial equality, from veterans of the civil rights movement to emergent Black Lives Matter leaders of tomorrow.
“He has worked tirelessly to counter populist narratives and authoritarian power grabs in the United States, Brazil, Hungary, the Philippines, and virtually anywhere else these disturbing trends have surfaced. He’s led our fight against disinformation and our efforts to hold social media platforms accountable for the spread of lies and hate. He oversaw the launch of exciting new lines of work on climate change and economic justice, and strengthened our commitment to culture and the arts.”
On his successor Soros explained: “The selection of Mark Malloch-Brown as Open Society’s next president ensures a smooth transition. I have known Mark my whole life, and I can think of no one better prepared to take us forward.
“Mark has served with distinction in government, in NGOs, in business, and in philanthropy, having been a longstanding member of our Global Board. He served as UN deputy secretary‐general and chief of staff under Kofi Annan.
“Previously, he was administrator of the UN Development Program. He covered Africa and Asia as minister of state in the UK’s Foreign Office during Gordon Brown’s premiership. His other positions have included being a World Bank vice president. He began his career as a journalist at The Economist.
“He has been a friend and partner to my father for more than three decades. Their close collaboration reflects a shared philosophy and a deep understanding of where the Foundations have been and where we are going. Mark is well-equipped to help guide us forward into a promising future.
“We wish Patrick every success in his new endeavor and know that his unique blend of experience and diplomatic and political skills will serve him well in the next leg of his extraordinary career. On behalf of the Open Society global network, and the Foundations’ many friends, partners, grantees, and allies, we thank you, Patrick, for all you have done to inspire and lead us through these challenging times.”