The Mastercard Foundation has announced Sewit Ahderom as its next President and CEO, effective January 1, 2026. Ahderom succeeds Reeta Roy, who has led the Foundation for 18 impactful years and will remain in her role throughout 2025 to ensure a smooth transition.
This leadership change follows a global search aimed at finding a leader deeply aligned with the Foundation’s values, with significant experience in Africa, and a vision to expand the Foundation’s impact across the continent and Indigenous communities in Canada.
Her expertise
Sewit Ahderom brings a rare combination of expertise spanning agrifood systems, technology, and investment, all closely linked with the Foundation’s mission. The Chair of the Mastercard Foundation Board, Zein Abdalla, describes her as a “highly talented global executive” with a profound understanding of Africa. Ahderom’s career journey crosses both development and private sectors, making her leadership grounded in practical experience.
“I am truly honoured to be in the service of the Foundation’s mission. Building on the extraordinary work of Reeta Roy, whose leadership has embodied partnership and purpose, it is both humbling and inspiring to carry this work forward,” Sewit Ahderom said.
Career and mission alignment
Ahderom’s two-year tenure on the Mastercard Foundation Board has provided her with invaluable insight into its goals and operations. She is personally and professionally dedicated to advancing the Foundation’s mission of empowering young people with dignified and fulfilling employment. Her leadership style emphasises active listening to young people, staff, and partners, fostering collaborations that drive significant change across Africa and within Indigenous communities in Canada.
Her extensive professional background includes co-founding Gro Intelligence, a data and analytics platform focused on agriculture, climate trends, and economic development. She has also served as Vice President at Helios Investment Partners, an Africa-focused private equity fund, and held a senior investment banking role at Citigroup in New York. Ahderom’s academic qualifications comprise an undergraduate degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Connecticut and an MBA from Columbia University. This blend of global financial expertise, African investment experience, and technological innovation uniquely positions her for the challenges ahead.
Mastercard Foundation Africa, Canada mission
The Mastercard Foundation’s vision is a world where everyone has the opportunity to learn and prosper, with current assets exceeding $53 billion, positioning it as one of the most significant philanthropic organisations globally. Its flagship initiatives include the Young Africa Works strategy, aimed at enabling 30 million young people across Africa to find dignified work by 2030, and Canada’s EleV program, designed to support 100,000 Indigenous youth in completing post-secondary education and transitioning to employment by the end of the decade.
To date, more than 66 million people have been equipped with skills and tools, and nearly 18 million young people—over half of whom are women—have secured work opportunities through the Foundation’s programmes. The Board and leadership team remain determined to prioritise local solutions and partners to advance these ambitious goals under Ahderom’s leadership
This appointment signifies a new chapter for the Mastercard Foundation, one driven by technology-savvy, values-based leadership with a profound commitment to inclusive growth and sustainable impact in Africa and indigenous communities in Canada. The Mastercard Foundation, a leading global philanthropic organisation with over $53 billion in assets, envisions a world where everyone has the chance to learn and prosper.
Its key initiatives include the Young Africa Works strategy, aiming to provide 30 million young Africans with dignified work by 2030, and Canada’s EleV program, designed to help 100,000 Indigenous youth complete post-secondary education and find employment by the end of the decade.
The Foundation’s programs have already equipped over 66 million people with the skills and tools they need. Moreover, nearly 18 million young people, more than half of whom are women, have secured employment opportunities.
Ahderom’s appointment signifies a new phase for the Mastercard Foundation, characterised by technology-driven, values-based leadership with a strong commitment to inclusive growth and sustainable impact in Africa and Indigenous communities in Canada.
