The International Cooperative Alliance has announced the appointment of Jeroen Douglas as its new director general.
A Dutch national, Douglas is currently executive director of Solidaridad, an international civil society organisation. He joined the organisation in 1992 as campaign officer. In 2009 he become director for Solidaridad in Latin America, a role in which he managed finance, governance, partnerships, advocacy and fundraising in the region. In 2016 he was appointed Solidaridad’s strategy director and drove the development of the network’s 2016-2020 strategy, being responsible for network-wide policy and related programme implementations. In 2019 he was appointed as executive director, a position in which he aims to ensure the alignment of the network around one vision, one mission, one strategy.
He has a background in theology and cultural anthropology and has led the development of various global sustainability roundtables for sugar, soy and beef, such as the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) and the Round Table on Responsible Soy Association (RTRS).
ICA president Ariel Guarco said: “We are happy to have reached a decision having considered applications from a significant number of strong candidates. We believe that Jeroen has all of the qualities we need in a director general of the organisation and that he will make a significant contribution to the development of an ICA that is capable of addressing the challenges we face.”
Douglas said: “I am delighted by the decision to appoint me to this position, and I commit myself to serve the board of the ICA and the the wider co-operative movement to the best of my ability. I consider it a great honour to be able to join such a great organisation that has had such an impact on people’s lives over the years and which is based on a set of values that have never been more relevant.”
Douglas is the 17th director-general of the ICA, which was founded in 1895. He succeeds Bruno Roelants who retired in February 2023. He is expected to start in his new role before January 2024. ICA President Ariel Guarco will continue to act as interim DG until then.
The ICA received over 200 applications for this position. The successful candidate was selected by a search committee, with the support of the recruitment consultants Norman Broadbent.
