ANA TONI, Board Chair
Ana Toni has been the Representative for the Ford Foundation in Brazil since 2003. In this position she oversaw the Foundation's work in the areas of human rights, sustainable development, racial and ethical discrimination, sexuality and reproductive health, media democratization and land rights. During her term in the Foundation she was also responsible for coordinating the regional Latin America funding on Economics and Globalization, the IBSA initiative (joint work between Brazil, South Africa and India) and the International Initiative on Intellectual Property Rights.
From 1998 to 2002 Ana was the Executive Director of ActionAid Brazil, working to contribute in the eradication of poverty and inequality through community development projects, as well as public policy advocacy and campaigning at both national and international levels. Ana had also worked for ActionAid UK as Policy Advisor (1990 - 1993) representing the organization at the United National Environment and Development Conference.
Ana worked for Greenpeace from 1993 to 1997; first, as the International Head of the Political Unit based at Greenpeace International in Amsterdam, and subsequently as Senior Advisor for Greenpeace Germany. She was responsible for, amongst other things, the work of Greenpeace on the World Trade Organization (in particular the Committee on Trade and Environment) and she also contributed in the development of Greenpeace's work in the Amazon region in its early stage.
Ana was the Board Chair of Greenpeace Brazil from 2000 to 2003. In addition, she is a member of the Editorial Board of Le Monde Diplomatique Brazil and a Board member of GIFE (the Brazilian Private Social Investment Association). Ana graduated in Economic and Social Studies at Swansea University and has completed a master degree in Politics of the World Economy at the London School of Economics.
AYESHA IMAM
Ayesha Mei-Tje Imam has worked extensively on research, advocacy and education to protect and extend women's human rights under customary, secular and religious laws, on human rights generally and on democracy and sustainable development.
She is a board member of the international solidarity network Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML) and a founding director of BAOBAB for Women's Human Rights in Nigeria, with which she received the John Humphrey Freedom Award in 2002. Currently she is also on the Board of WEDO (Woman's Environment and Development Organisation). The co-initiator and director of the first Gender Institute in Africa, Dr. Imam has also served as the Gender Policy Advisor for the United Nations Institute for Economic Development and Planning in Senegal and the Head of the Department of Culture, Gender and Human Rights at the United Nations Fund for Development (UNFPA) in New York. She was also the first Chair of the African Democracy Forum, a network of African democracy activists.
Ayesha has lectured and carried out research at universities and research institutes in Nigeria, the U.K., Canada and Senegal. She has published widely for both academic and activist uses. She has written and/or edited numerous journal articles, books and program reviews, including 'Engendering African Social Sciences' and two special issues of 'Africa Development': Re-Visiting Gender I and II.
Ayesha has a long-standing commitment to social and economic justice and environmentally sustainable development, which she sees as intrinsically linked to each other. In 1982 she co-edited 'Green Revolution in Nigeria?' a critical review of the package of industrial technology and modified seed agriculture then being advocated by the Nigerian Government and the World Bank. In her work and activism she focuses on the intersectionality of gender, environment, class (and others) to achieve holistic, sustainable, and equitable solutions.
She continues to advocate for, research and write on, and to train in human rights - including women's human rights, gender awareness and mainstreaming, gender and development, evaluation and research for activists in NGOs, planners and functionaries in government, and for researchers.
Ayesha currently lives in Dakar, Senegal
DIMITRIOS VASSILAKIS
Dimitrios has had a long career in Human Resources, Governance and managing his small ship construction and operation business. From 1966-1973 he studied Administration and Personnel Management in Greece and Sweden. From 1973 until 1983 he was Human Resources Manager in two different international companies.
Since 1989 he is Managing Partner and Board Chair of Pan Yachting S.A. involved in organizing and operating environmental and historical cruises on board his sailing vessels.
Since 2006 he is Executive Vice President of Variety Cruises, involved in eco-cruises and tourism.
For 14 years he has been alternatively, Secretary General and Vice-Chairman of the Greek Charter Yacht Owners Association and from 2003 and for two consecutive terms, he had been elected Board Chair of the same Association and also editor of the SEA & YACHTING magazine
He was also appointed (2003 - 2007), Member of the Greek Committee of Maritime Policy.
From 2003 he was active member of Greenpeace Greece, assisting the Greek Board & Organisation in various projects, which included actions against genetically modified products, fundraising through direct dialog, auto payment methods, communication and major donors.
Dimitris Vassilakis lives in Athens.
FRANK GUGGENHEIM
Born in New York on November 12th, 1949, Frank grew up in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
He studied mathematics and theoretical physics at the Polytechnic High School of Zürich and ended his studies with a Masters degree in mathematics.
After working some years as a school teacher he studied medicine at the University of Zürich, where he also achieved his PHD in immunology. He specialized as a family doctor.
During his student days Frank was engaged in the student movement and thereafter in the struggle of the Latin American community in Europe for democracy in South America. During these years, beside his work as a medical doctor, he was publisher of a quarterly magazine reporting on this movement.
Back to Brazil in 1988, Frank worked for the Pharmaceutical Industry, first as a research scientist, mainly in the field of oncology and AIDS, and afterwards assuming managerial positions as Head of the Pharma Division of Hoffmann La Roche in Brazil.
In 2000 Frank joined the Board of Greenpeace Brazil and in 2002 was elected Executive Director.
Since 2008 Frank is again working as a medical doctor in Aveiro, a Protected Area of the Amazon, and is responsible for a small hospital, and the traditional population living in this region.
Frank divides his time between Aveiro and Rio de Janeiro.
HAROLD P.C. KO
Harold Ko is a retired securities regulator and long time social activist. For almost two decades, he worked in the Securities and Futures Commission, an independent statutory body responsible for regulating the securities and futures market in Hong Kong. Before that, he worked in various investment and commercial banks for more than 10 years, specializing in treasury and lending functions.
While his love for public service motivated him to become a career regulator, the same also prompted him to cut short his career in 2009. He volunteered to assist a legislative sub-committee in finding out the truth behind the massive mis-selling of Lehman Brothers-related investment products in Hong Kong in the hope that the investing public could be better protected in the future. Harold is well versed in compliance and governance issues.
As a social activist, Harold first joined Amnesty International, Hong Kong and became its vice-chair in 1990. He then co-founded several social activist groups in Hong Kong including United Ants and The Frontier. He has also been an active member of the Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor since its inception in 1995.
Being a frugal person, Harold believes the best way to protect the environment is to use less resources and use them in ways that are environmentally friendly, and hence his admiration for the works of Greenpeace.
Harold lives in Hong Kong.
STEVE FRANCIS
Steve Francis is a passionate environmentalist who has spent his career in the finance and consulting sector.
A Qualified Chartered Accountant, Steve holds a Bachelor of Business Studies (Accounting) with Honours (Finance: Mergers & Acquisitions) from Massey University, New Zealand, where he also tutored for the Finance Faculty. He brings a portfolio of business, financial and governance skills to the Board including human resource management, risk management, internal audit, project management, strategic planning and financial management.
Steve lives in Belgium, with his French-speaking family. He grew-up in a farming region in New Zealand where he developed his love of nature, especially the forests, mountains and the sea. He is also an avid sports fan (mountain climbing & Ultimate Frisbee, amongst others) and loves a wide variety of music.
Steve's experience brings a unique insiders' view of the corporate world, and is particularly interested in the effect of consumption, tax policy and user-pays legislation on environmental & social issues.
Steve is currently primarily occupied educating his son (born in 2009) & two step-children, while making a career change to the environmental/social sector, where his financial & executive experience can be best leveraged, while applying valuable knowledge from the corporate sector to the not-for-profit sector. He is involved in several Belgian environmental organisations/projects.
Steve started his career in an international audit and consulting firm, in both New Zealand and Luxembourg, then moving on to various financial control & management related positions in the financial sector, in Luxembourg. Steve held the position of Finance Director (2001-2009) at Lombard International Assurance S.A., Luxembourg-based life insurance company, and related companies (members of Friends Provident plc, a then UK FTSE-100 life insurance company) with activities throughout Europe. He was a member of its Executive Board, Management Board, Finance Committee and Risk Management Committee. His responsibilities included all aspects of finance and actuarial services, and he was responsible for establishing the internal audit and risk management functions. Steve was also a member of the Board of Directors of Lombard International PCC Limited, a related Guernsey-based life insurance company.
IRMI MUSSACK
Irmi Mussack brings onto the Board of Greenpeace International a wealth of NGO governance experience, many years of management experience, a deep understanding of Greenpeace from various angles and multilayered international and multicultural experience.
She is an environmentalist at heart and by professional training, and a manager and strategist who perceives herself a global citizen.
Irmi Mussack holds a Masters of Science degree in Resource Management from Canterbury University, New Zealand, and a Bachelors degree in Horticulture (Diplom-Ingenieur FH) from the University of Applied Science Weihenstephan in Germany.
Before Irmi "bumped" into Greenpeace in 1985 in Sydney harbour to charter as cook on the first and second Greenpeace Antarctic expedition, she was a self-employed orchardist and landscape gardener for several years.
Her Greenpeace "apprenticeship" led her to becoming a volunteer worker, public speaker, Antarctic campaigner, on-board campaigner, international lobbyist, campaign unit head and finally Board member of various Greenpeace entities, and Board Chair of Greenpeace Nordic. During her time in New Zealand, Irmi was also an active member of ASOC (Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition).
Starting in 1993, Irmi was elected onto the Board of Directors of Greenpeace Sweden, which followed by becoming a member of the Board of Directors of Greenpeace Nordic. From April 2001 until the end of March 2009, she was the Chair of the Board of Directors of Greenpeace Nordic. From 2007 until the end of March 2009, she also served as a voting member of Greenpeace Canada.
Since October 1996, Irmi has been employed as CEO at Deutsche Rentenversicherung Bildungszentrum Reinfeld e.V., (Association German Pension Fund Educational Centre Reinfeld), comprising a University of Applied Science, a seminar hotel and student apartments. She is the start-up CEO and head of administration, responsible for everything except teaching/curriculum.
In addition, since 1997 she has been the moderator and spokesperson of the non-partisan initiative "Runder Tisch Reinfelds Zukunft" (local round table working on Agenda 21 issues). While not being a member of any party, she was member of a City Council committee on economy and environment from May 2003 until April 2008. Since May 2008 and on-going, she only acts as a stand-in for the committee "city development and economy" and "building and environment".
Irmi was founding member of TraveArt e.V. (TraveArt Association to initiate, support and conduct regional, national and international art and cultural projects, and to conduct cultural education of children, youths and adults).
Irmi lives in Germany. Constantly striving for a healthy life-work balance, she loves to spend time with family and friends, enjoys gardening, making music, bicycle rides and water sports - and savours the occasional cooking.