GENEVA – JULY 2, 2021 – Enhancing our innovative approaches to conflict mediation and peacemaking, the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD) welcomes business expert and community builder Andrienne d’Arenberg to its foundation board.

The appointment of d’Arenberg, an executive in residence at Oxford Saïd Business School and a former head of the World Economic Forum Family Business Community, coincides with the departure of Dr Jakob Kellenberger, a former Swiss diplomat and president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, after nine years on the HD board.

Chaired by Espen Barth Eide, the board sets the mission and general policy of the non-profit foundation and provides overall supervision of HD’s administration and peacebuilding programmes in more than 50 conflict zones around the world. The 13 members sit on the board on a voluntary and private basis.

“Andrienne is an innovator who embodies Geneva’s worldly humanitarianism,” Eide said. “She brings creative approaches from the worlds of academia, business and philanthropy that will contribute invaluable insights and perspective for the board and HD as a whole.”

At Oxford Saïd Business School, d’Arenberg is helping to build its programme on responsible ownership and corporate purpose, especially in the post-COVID context.

At the World Economic Forum, she focused on the role of family-owned companies in shaping global, regional and industry agendas.

She sits on the boards of several institutions active in current affairs and contributes to events featuring the world’s leading political and business thinkers.

After starting her career with Deutsche Bank and Merrill Lynch in private banking, d’Arenberg was a partner at a consultancy firm in Geneva for 10 years, developing trusted relationships with high-level stakeholders from business, politics, international organisations, NGOs and academia.

She holds a BSc in international relations from the London School of Economic and Political Sciences and has completed various executive certificates on advocacy in international affairs, artificial intelligence, digital business strategy, sustainable business practices and board performance.

Dr Kellenberger joined the board in 2013 after 12 years as president of the International Committee of the Red Cross and a distinguished career at the Swiss Foreign Ministry.

His postings included Madrid, Brussels and London and he held senior roles as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and head of the Office for European Integration responsible for relations with the European Union and European Free Trade Association.

He was awarded the Grosses Verdienstkreuz mit Stern by Germany in 2012 and appointed Commandeur de la Légion d’Honneur by France in 2013.

“We will always be thankful to Jakob for his many years of dedication and the extraordinary judgment he brought as an eminent scholar, diplomat and humanitarian,” Eide said.

“Jakob helped to guide HD through many important moments, including the final dissolution of the Basque armed group ETA and the breakthrough accords in Libya in 2020.”