Cape Town – Zimbabwean billionaire Strive Masiyiwa has joined the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s new board of trustees, the foundation announced on Wednesday.
The announcement comes at the backdrop of Bill and Melinda’s divorce.
It also comes after billionaire investor Warren E. Buffett, who served as the foundation’s trustee for 15 years, resigned as the foundation’s third trustee last year.
Masiyiwa will be joined by Minouche Shafik and Tom Tierney, both of whom are new to the foundation, according to the foundation’s newly elected CEO Mark Suzman.
“We are honored that as an initial step three deeply knowledgeable and respected individuals have agreed to join us. Between them, Strive Masiyiwa, Minouche Shafik, and Tom Tierney bring an incredible track record of impact across the global business, philanthropy, and development, and we couldn’t be more excited to have them join the board,” said Suzman.
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According to the foundation, there could be as many as nine members in the future.
“Discussions are ongoing about adding to the initial slate to improve representation across gender, geography, and expertise,” said the foundation.
Masiyiwa is the founder of Econet Group, a for-profit technology company based in London and focused on digitally connecting customers in Sub-Saharan Africa.
In his lifetime, according to Times Live, Masiyiwa has served on several international boards, including Unilever Plc, Netflix, and the National Geographic Society, as well as the Global Advisory boards of Bank of America, Stanford University, the Bloomberg New Economy Forum, and the Prince of Wales Trust for Africa, to name a few.
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Compiled by Sinothando Siyolo
