FORA.tv Speaker - Kurt Hoffman

Kurt Hoffman joined Royal Dutch/Shell in 1997 initially to help assess and restructure the Shell Group’s global social investment activities. This led to the design and launch of the International Shell Foundation in June 2000. Under his leadership, the Foundation developed a portfolio of more than 80 initiatives spread across more than 20 countries. Prior to joining Shell, Kurt Hoffman’s career as development professional included ten years as a Reader in Development Economics and as a Senior Fellow at the Science Policy Research Unit at the University of Sussex, Brighton, UK. His career also included a decade and a half in senior advisory and operational assignments throughout the developing world, foundations, and international agencies such as the UN, European Union, and World Bank. In parallel, he pursued a career in business as a strategic advisor to international companies setting up manufacturing facilities in developing countries and as an entrepreneur raising venture financing to launch and run two small-business start-ups. Until recently, he also served as chairman of one of the longest running small family businesses in the UK. Kurt was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 2003, and serves on the boards of a small number of for-profit and not-for-profit entities.