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Sam Parker

FounderFIGURE80

Skoll Awardee

Biography

Graduating from Oxford University in 1983, Sam worked for 17 years in the agrochemicals and commodity trading businesses, with responsibilities across Latin America, Africa and Asia. During this time, Sam took a two-year break to work as a volunteer with street children in Sao Paulo, Brazil. In 2002, he moved into the development sector with the International Save the Children Alliance, leading the organisational development of its 30 national members. 2006, Sam joined Water & Sanitation for the Urban Poor (WSUP), as its first CEO, and became a Skoll Awardee in 2014. In 2015, Sam was appointed Director of the Shell Foundation, which funds the expansion of renewable energy to low-income consumers who have no access to electricity. Recognizing the crucial importance of business in achieving the SDGs, in 2021, Sam co-founded Agile Governance Inc., a B-Corp that helps social enterprises to transform business performance and raise more capital through smart, agile governance.

Regional Focus

Eastern and Southern Africa, Europe, Middle East and North Africa, West and Central Africa