Executive Council on Development

In 2012, CSIS convened the Executive Council on Development – a bipartisan group of leaders from government, business, NGOs, and philanthropy – to explore how the U.S. government and private sector can work together to support global development

About the Council

CSIS convened the Executive Council on Development—a bipartisan group of leaders from government, business, NGOs, and philanthropy—to focus and strengthen the United States’ international development policy and improve more livelihoods worldwide. Through a year of research and deliberations, the Council sought to understand how the U.S. government and the private sector—both on their own and in partnership—can support the economic success of developing countries. The Council concentrated on crafting a U.S. development policy that promotes broad-based economic growth by deploying all U.S. assets in a coordinated way, including the numerous capable U.S. development agencies; federal economic, trade, and diplomacy tools; and the vibrant American business community, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and philanthropy.

The members of the Council were carefully chosen from government, industry, NGOs, and philanthropic groups to represent a broad range of backgrounds and areas of expertise. The group was cochaired by former Senate Majority Leader Thomas Daschle (D-SD), former U.S. Representative Vin Weber (R-MN), Executive Chairman of Hyatt Hotels Corporation Thomas Pritzker, and former Chairman and CEO of Hewlett-Packard Carly Fiorina. In addition, former USAID administrator Henrietta Fore served as an honorary cochair of the group.

In their final report, Our Shared Opportunity: A Vision for Global Prosperity, the Council provides a targeted set of recommendations for the U.S. government and private sector, calling for a greater reliance on business, trade, and investment tools to achieve better development outcomes. However, the work of the Council does not end here. CSIS has planned an extensive outreach campaign to share the group’s report with Congress, the administration, donor-country partners, and the private sector through dialogues with business leaders; briefings with government officials; outreach to universities; and continued research on additional ways to implement this report’s recommendations.

Learn more about the Council members here.

Cochairs

  • THOMAS A. DASCHLE, former U.S. Senate majority leader (D-SD)
  • CARLY FIORINA, chairman, Good360, and former chairman and CEO, Hewlett-Packard*
  • THOMAS J. PRITZKER, executive chairman, Hyatt Hotels Corporation*
  • VIN WEBER, former U.S. representative (R-MN)

Honorary Cochair

  • HENRIETTA H. FORE, chairman and CEO, Holsman International, and former administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development*

Members

  • R. HUNTER BIDEN, chairman, Rosemont Seneca Partners, LLC, and chairman, World Food Program USA 
  • EDWARD D. (NED) BRESLIN, CEO, Water For People
  • HELENE D. GAYLE, president and CEO, CARE USA*
  • MARK GREEN, former U.S. representative (R-WI), and former ambassador to Tanzania
  • JOHN J. HAMRE, president, CEO, Pritzker Chair, CSIS, and former U.S. deputy secretary of defense
  • BENJAMIN W. HEINEMAN JR., senior fellow, Harvard University Schools of Law and Government*
  • E. NEVILLE ISDELL, former chairman and CEO, The Coca-Cola Company*
  • FAROOQ KATHWARI, chairman, president, and CEO, Ethan Allen Interiors Inc.*
  • PAULA LUFF, vice president, Corporate Social Responsibility, Hess Corporation
  • THEODORE E. MCCARRICK, archbishop emeritus of Washington*
  • ROBERT MOSBACHER JR., chairman, Mosbacher Energy Company, and former president and CEO, Overseas Private Investment Corporation
  • ANDREW S. NATSIOS, executive professor, Texas A&M University, and former administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development
  • BEA PEREZ, chief sustainability officer, The Coca-Cola Company
  • KATHERINE PICKUS, divisional vice president, Global Citizenship and Policy, Abbott, and vice president, Abbott Fund
  • JOSETTE SHEERAN, vice chairman, World Economic Forum, and former executive director, United Nations World Food Programme
  • ANNE-MARIE SLAUGHTER, professor, Princeton University, and former director of policy planning, U.S. Department of State
  • MARK SUZMAN, managing director, International Policy & Programs, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  • CAROLYN Y. WOO, president and CEO, Catholic Relief Services
  • RHONDA I. ZYGOCKI, executive vice president, Policy and Planning, Chevron Corporation

*CSIS trustee, counselor, advisory board member, or senior adviser.