Caroline Anstey Named Chief Operations Officer of the Open Society Foundations
Anstey to head global operations for the human rights–focused philanthropic network
NEW YORK—The Open Society Foundations today announced that Caroline Anstey, formerly of UBS Group and the World Bank, will assume the role of chief operations officer starting June 2017.
As the first to serve in this newly created position, Anstey will provide leadership and strategic direction to the main operational functions of finance, human resources, information technology, real estate and facilities, and security. Based in the New York office, she will report to the Foundations’ president, Chris Stone, who has unified and streamlined the network since his appointment in 2012.
“The principles of open society are being tested today, not only in the United States and Europe, but worldwide, and Caroline Anstey is the operational leader we need to help the Foundations perform at our very best,” said Stone. “She’s proven herself to be a great strategist and collaborator in global institutions who knows how to integrate an organization’s inner systems with its frontline programs. I’m thrilled she is joining the Foundations.”
Anstey brings a wealth of experience in operational management across international contexts. Most recently, she was group managing director at UBS AG in Zurich, Switzerland, where she created and managed a cross-firm platform bringing together the bank’s work on sustainable investment, philanthropy, and product development. She also oversaw the bank’s Optimus Foundation.
For 18 years, Anstey worked with the World Bank Group, most recently as managing director. Prior to that, she served as vice president of external affairs, chief of staff to then World Bank President Robert B. Zoellick, and country director for the Caribbean. She was previously an editor and senior producer at the BBC. She holds a PhD from the London School of Economics and was awarded a research fellowship from Nuffield College, Oxford University.
“I am delighted to join the Open Society Foundations, particularly at a time when core issues, such as press freedom and open and accountable government, are under attack in many parts of the world,” said Anstey. “In this current context, it is more vital than ever that Open Society leverage the operations of its global network.”
Established in 1984 by philanthropist George Soros, the Open Society Foundations are a family of offices and foundations that support individuals and organizations fighting for freedom of expression, transparency, accountability, and societies that promote justice and equality. The Foundations’ expenditures to date total over $13 billion, with an annual budget of $940.7 million for 2017.
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The Open Society Foundations work to build vibrant and tolerant democracies whose governments are accountable to their citizens. Working with local communities in more than 100 countries, the Open Society Foundations support justice and human rights, freedom of expression, and access to public health and education.