At the WCF Partnership Meeting, we announced the completion of its new senior leadership team and the commencement of an ambitious global expansion strategy.
ABIDJAN – The World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) Partnership Meeting has announced the completion of its new senior leadership team and the commencement of an ambitious global expansion strategy. The WCF, the leading international organisation dedicated to fostering sustainable cocoa farming, has selected a dynamic and experienced team to drive its vision forward. The WCF, the leading international organisation dedicated to fostering sustainable cocoa farming, has selected a dynamic and experienced team to drive its vision forward.
The newly formed WCF Senior Leadership Team includes WCF’s Vice President of Operations, Dougal Freeman, who is leading the organisation’s finance, strategy and operations with an integral role in the broader growth and performance delivery of WCF. Vice President, Programmes, Peter Koegler. Playing a major role in the organisation as the spearhead for the work WCF does to facilitate transformative change in the cocoa sector. Koegler designs and leads the strategies for both WCF’s programmes and critical impact initiatives, reporting directly to the WCF President. Mariette Verbruggen is Vice President of Corporate Affairs. She is overseeing WCF’s global communications and corporate affairs strategy and stakeholder engagement; articulating a vision for sustainability in the cocoa sector and driving the strategy priorities of the WCF. The recent addition of Finance Director, Bert Kramer who leads a team of four across WCF offices worldwide, further strengthens the organisation's financial stewardship.
Mawuli Coffie is the newly appointed country Director for the WCF Ghana Office. He will spearhead and oversee all programmatic and operational activities in Ghana, playing a crucial role in advancing WCF's mission to promote cocoa sustainability.
A significant milestone in the new strategy adopted in October 2022 was the decision to extend WCF's presence beyond Washington and to establish a global network of WCF hubs strategically positioned in crucial cocoa sector locations. All three new senior leaders will be based in Europe. Chris Vincent, President of WCF, stated, "As we navigate the path toward a sustainable cocoa future, the strategic decision has been to extend the World Cocoa Foundation's presence beyond Washington."
He continued, "Through recruiting the senior leadership team in Europe, we are closer to the sustainability teams of our large members and the major cocoa markets, aiming to forge stronger partnerships and interventions, catalysing impactful initiatives that support sustainable cocoa farming practices worldwide."
The World Cocoa Foundation is enthusiastic about this new chapter and looks forward to driving its strategy forward as a convening body, bringing together all stakeholders worldwide to drive impact initiatives critical to the sustainability of the entire cocoa supply chain with diverse organisations that seek to find solutions and who wish to work in genuine partnerships to deliver impact.
About the World Cocoa Foundation:
The World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) is an international membership organisation representing the global cocoa and chocolate sectors. Its members include farmer cooperatives, cocoa processors, chocolate manufacturers, supply chain companies and other companies worldwide.
WCF’s vision is to be a catalyst for a thriving and equitable cocoa sector that is collaborating to improve farmer income, reverse deforestation and combat child labour. WCF’s unique position at the centre of the cocoa and chocolate sector enables it to create strategic relationships and collaborative programs with cocoa farming communities, governments and civil society, which deliver transformative impact and systemic reform.
For more information, visit www.worldcocoafoundation.org or contact Mariette Verbruggen, email: media@worldcocoa.org
