Sunny Verghese appointed as WBCSD Chair from 2018
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development yesterday announced that Sunny Verghese, Co-Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer of Olam, has been appointed as the new Chair of WBCSD. Sunny’s term begins on 1 January 2018 for a duration of two years.
The appointment was enacted by a vote from members at the 2017 Annual General Meeting of WBCSD, held during the organisation’s Council Meeting taking place in Mexico City.
Mr Verghese will succeed Mr Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever, who has been Chairman of WBCSD since 2014. Mr Polman’s term ends on 31 December 2017. Sunny has the honour of being the first ever Asia-based CEO to be elected chair of the Council.
A leading voice of business for sustainability, the WBCSD is a global network of more than 200 CEOs who are responsible for a combined revenue of more than US$8.5 trillion and 19 million employees. Member companies and their CEOs are collectively working through WBCSD to accelerate the transition towards sustainable business and a sustainable world.
Sunny co-founded Olam in 1989 and leads the company’s strategy, planning, business development and management. His external Directorships include the Human Capital Leadership Institute, and former Chair of International Enterprise Singapore. Sunny also serves as a commissioner of the Business and Sustainable Development Commission (BSDC).
A range of additional appointments to the Executive Committee (ExCo) of WBCSD were also made during the AGM:
- Ana Botín, Executive Chair, Banco Santander – reappointed as Vice Chair
- Jean-Pierre Clamadieu, Chairman of the Executive Committee and CEO, Solvay – appointed as Vice Chair
- Masami Yamamoto, CEO of Fujitsu – appointed as Vice Chair
- Bruno Lafont – appointed as ExCo member for ArcelorMittal
- Takeshi Uchiyamada, Chairman of the Board, Toyota Motor Corporation – reappointed as ExCo member
- Yaofeng Cao, Board Director of Sinopec Corp Vice President, China Petrochemical Corporation
- Amanda Sourry, President, Foods, Unilever – appointed as ExCo member
- Diogo Rodriguez da Silveira, CEO, The Navigator Company – appointed as ExCo member
The terms of these appointments begin on 1 January 2018.
