Caldwell Assists the ONE Campaign with CEO Search
March 29, 2024 – After an extensive global search, John Strackhouse and Bethany George of Toronto-based Caldwell assisted in the recruitment of Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli as CEO of the ONE Campaign in Washington, D.C. She succeeds Gayle Smith. “I’m most thrilled to welcome Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli to The ONE Campaign,” said Tom Freston, board chair. “Ndidi is an incredibly accomplished professional, a passionate and successful leader with over 25 years of international development and advocacy experience. Throughout her life and career, Ndidi has been a steadfast advocate for the world’s poor, bringing great passion and expertise to everything she’s done.”
“Her powerful communication skills, broad global experience and strong personal network make her a perfect leader for ONE at this pivotal moment,” Mr. Freston said. “With Ndidi at the helm, I couldn’t be more confident that ONE will be leading the way in innovative new approaches to tackle the complex issues behind extreme poverty today.”
“ONE could not be getting a better present for its 20th birthday than Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli taking charge as its next president and CEO,” said Bono, co-founder of ONE. “An organization that focuses on Africa should be led by an African, that’s always been our dream, and Ndidi is the right person to take ONE into the future. She’s multilingual in the broadest sense; it’s not just languages she speaks across, but geographies and sectors too. She’s an entrepreneur and a policy wonk, an activist and a business leader who knows governments and business need to work together if we’re going to solve the biggest challenges facing our planet. I can’t wait to see what she and ONE’s brilliant policy wonks and political arm twisters are able to accomplish. In a world battling multiple fires, figuratively and literally, we need them now more than ever.”
Ms. Okonkwo Nwuneli is an expert on food ecosystems, entrepreneurship, social innovation, and philanthropy. She has over 25 years of international development experience and is deeply involved in fostering impactful solutions in the global social innovation landscape, with a focus on Africa. Ms. Okonkwo Nwuneli started her career at McKinsey & Company’s Chicago office and returned to Nigeria in 2000 to serve as the pioneer executive director of the FATE Foundation. She is the founder of LEAP Africa, a non-profit committed to developing dynamic, innovative and principled African leaders and African Food Changemakers, which provides support for African entrepreneurs to start and scale resilient and sustainable agribusinesses. She is also the co-founder of Sahel Consulting Agriculture & Nutrition Ltd. and AACE Foods Processing & Distribution Ltd.
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ONE is a global movement campaigning to end extreme poverty and preventable disease by 2030. Ms. Okonkwo Nwuneli will lead ONE’s efforts to better connect African countries to the sources of financing they need to develop and thrive as well as doubling down on efforts to develop policies to support their agency, build political champions and galvanize activists.
Caldwell Recruits CFO for Sanjel Energy Services
Caldwell recently assisted in the recruitment of Valeria G. Malla as the new CFO of Sanjel Energy Services. She replaces Leonard Cornez. Ms. Robichaud brings finance, accounting and reporting experience in oil, gas, and fertilizer. Ms. Malla most recently served as CFO of Pembina Gas Infrastructure in Calgary. Prior to that, she served in various senior positions with Pembina Pipeline Corporation. Before that. Ms. Malla was assistant controller at Alliance Pipeline. During her career, she also gained experience with Husky Energy, Nexen Inc., and Agrium. Sanjel Energy Services is an energy services company, providing primary and remedial cementing solutions to the energy industry in Canada. Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, the company has service locations across the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin. Sanjel Energy Services is an ARC Financial sponsored company, having received equity capital from ARC Energy Fund 8, a $1.55 billion private equity fund.
“I am committed to working with ONE’s dynamic team to lead the organization at this critical time in Africa’s history,” she said. “This will require that we forge new local and global partnerships, galvanize catalytical and innovative financing to ensure healthy livelihoods for the most vulnerable, drive sustainable and equitable growth in Africa, and ensure transparency and accountability in the deployment of resources at every level. ONE’s cofounders, staff, and board have worked tirelessly over the past 20 years, and its mission has never been more important. I am honored to lead the organization in this next chapter of growth and impact.”
Respected Recruiters
Mr. Strackhouse is a partner in Caldwell’s board and CEO practice, recruiting in the technology, digital, cloud computing, Internet of Things, social media, SaaS, software and industrial markets. Throughout his career, he has leveraged his passion for talent as the driving force for helping his clients create value and build leadership-driven companies. Mr. Strackhouse executes complex searches for board directors, CEOs, COOs, CFOs, CMOs, and other senior-level roles. He also advises investors and executives at venture capital firms, private equity firms and growth-oriented public companies on succession planning, talent acquisition, leadership and company building.
Ms. George is a consultant in Caldwell’s board and CEO and private equity/venture capital practices. With more than 25 years of search experience, she has recruited more than 125 board directors for companies across a variety of industries, geographies, and ownership structures (public, private, as well as portfolio companies of venture capital and private equity firms). Ms. George’s industry sub-specialties include financial services, consumer, internet, SaaS, energy, and real estate/E&C.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor; Lily Fauver, Senior Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
