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Search for Common Ground announces leadership transition
an article by Search for Common Ground (abridged)
Search for Common Ground (or “Search”), the
peacebuilding organization with operations in 33
countries across four continents, today [February
5] announced that its founder and President John
Marks and its Senior Vice President Susan Collin
Marks have decided to transition to new roles
within Search, and that Shamil Idriss will become
President, effective September 1, 2014.
click on photo to enlarge
Mr. Idriss, 41, has served for the past four years
as the Chief Executive Officer of Soliya, an
organization that has pioneered the use of new
media in cross-cultural dialogue and education,
and has helped to establish the field of virtual
exchange. Before Soliya, among other positions,
Shamil had worked at Search for 13 years, most
recently as its Chief Operating Officer. He also
served as a member of Search’s Board of Directors
for the past 10 years.
John Marks and Susan Collin Marks will continue to
serve in their current positions until September,
at which time John’s title will be Founder, Search
for Common Ground and President, Common Ground
Productions. Susan will become Senior Advisor of
Search for Common Ground. Having voluntarily
decided to step down from Search’s Executive Team,
both John and Susan will serve as advisors to
Shamil and the Executive Team. John, who also
decided to step down from the Board, will continue
to take a leading role in the organization’s media
production. Tom Manley will continue to serve as
Search’s non-executive Chairman of the Board.
Separately, Search and Soliya announced that
Soliya is in the process of joining Search for
Common Ground under Shamil’s leadership to work as
one unified team advancing their shared mission
(see https://www.sfcg.org/search-for-common-
ground-and-soliya-to-join-together/).
John Marks said . . . “Shamil Idriss is the ideal
person for this job. To his very core, Shamil is
committed to our shared mission, vision and
values. With his deep appreciation for – and long
experience with – Search, he is the embodiment of
the next generation of Search leaders. . . .
Shamil Idriss said, “I am eager to build on the
foundation that John, Susan and the team at Search
have laid. Their legacy is extraordinary and we
owe them an enormous debt of gratitude for their
accomplishments. John and Susan have been
mentors, friends, and a source of inspiration to
me. I am committed to honoring their incredible
service, and I am thrilled to work with them
through this transition and into the future.
Among their greatest legacies is the Search team –
a global, diverse, courageous, and talented
community that I am honored to join and eager to
lead.” . . .
Prior to Soliya, in addition to his time at
Search, Shamil served as Executive Director of the
Alliance of Civilizations Media Fund which merged
with Soliya in 2009. In 2005, he was appointed by
then-UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan as Deputy
Director of the UN Alliance of Civilizations. He
has served on the Steering Committee of the World
Economic Forum’s Council of 100 Leaders and is a
member of the World Economic Forum’s Young Global
Leaders and of the ASMA Society’s Muslim Leaders
of Tomorrow.
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DISCUSSION
Question(s) related to this article:
Where in the world can we find good leadership today?,
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Latest reader comment:
Once again, as they have done now each year since 2009, the Nobel Women's Initiative provides biographies of 16 women leaders involved in local action for peace and justice around the world, and in particular to stop violence against women. Last year's biographies were listed in the CPNN discussionboard.
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