The Mastercard Foundation welcomes senior business leader, Carole Wainaina to its Board

The Mastercard Foundation today announced the appointment of Carole Wamuyu Wainaina to its Board of Directors. Carole Wainaina is a senior business leader with 35 years of global experience in multinational and multilateral organisations in areas including strategy, organisational transformation, and human resources.

“I am delighted to welcome Carole Wainaina to our Board of Directors. The Mastercard Foundation is executing a bold strategy to create economic opportunities for young people in Africa and indigenous youth in Canada. Carole’s experience in the public and private sectors, global networks, and knowledge of the African continent will be invaluable,” said Zein Abdalla, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Mastercard Foundation.

“I am honoured to join the Mastercard Foundation’s Board of Directors. I look forward to working with a dynamic team advancing education and financial inclusion to create opportunities for young people, build stronger communities, and contribute to more inclusive economies. This important work benefits all of us, and I am pleased to contribute to the Foundation’s impact in Africa and Canada,” said Ms Carole Wainaina, Senior Advisor to the CEO at Africa50 and Non-Executive Director at various organisations.

Ms Carole Wainaina has worked for several years at Africa50, the Morocco-based Pan-African infrastructure investment platform capitalized by African countries and the African Development Bank. She was previously COO, responsible for establishing Africa50 and leading a multi-disciplinary team including Strategy, Investor Relations & Fundraising, Communications, HR & Administration, and Environmental & Social Governance (ESG).

She has served as the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources at the United Nations, leading transformational initiatives for the Secretary-General and member states.

Ms Carole Wainaina’s experience in the philanthropic sector includes serving on the non-profit boards Impact(Ed) International, and Harvard Business School Africa Research Board. She is an angel investor and mentor to several founders.

The Mastercard Foundation’s Board of Directors includes:

• Zein Abdalla (Board Chair), Retired President of PepsiCo, Inc.

• Baroness Valerie Amos, CH, Master of University College, Oxford University and former Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator at the UN.

• Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Former President of Liberia and 2011 Nobel Peace Prize Winner.

• Louise Arbour, C.C., Jurist-in-residence at Borden, Ladner, Gervais LLP, and former Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. She also served as the United Nations Special Representative for International Migration.

• Jay Ireland, Retired President and CEO of General Electric Africa.

• Jennifer Fonstad, Co-founder and leader of the Owl Capital Group.

• Michael Sabia, CEO of Hydro-Québec.

• Robin Washington, Former Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Gilead Sciences, Inc.

• Sewit Ahderom, Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer of Gro Intelligence.

• Tsega Gebreyes, Founding Partner and CEO at Satya Capital Limited.

Read more about the Mastercard Foundation Board of Directors here.

The Mastercard Foundation is a registered Canadian charity and one of the largest foundations in the world. It works with visionary organisations to advance education and financial inclusion to enable young people in Africa and indigenous youth in Canada to access dignified and fulfilling work.

Established in 2006 through the generosity of Mastercard when it became a public company, the Foundation is an independent organisation separate from the company, with offices in Toronto, Kigali, Accra, Nairobi, Kampala, Lagos, Dakar, and Addis Ababa. Its policies, operations, and programme decisions are determined by the Foundation’s Board of Directors and leadership.

For more information on the Foundation, please visit www.mastercardfdn.org.