Vodafone Foundation Welcomes Visionary Leaders to Board of Trustees

Vodafone Foundation is delighted to announce the appointment of three exceptional leaders to its Board of Trustees: Tarek Alami, Sandra Breka and Avril Haines.

Their diverse backgrounds and wealth of experience will further strengthen the Foundation’s mission of connecting for good. Using the power of Vodafone’s technology to address three global challenges: driving inclusion through digital learning, tackling harm and abuse, and building resilience and response in times of crisis.

Tarek Alami: As Vice President at the LEGO Foundation, Tarek Alami leads global grant-making initiatives aimed at improving educational outcomes. His previous roles include Managing Director at the UK-based Education Development Trust and key positions within Dubai’s Knowledge and Human Development Authority.

Tarek’s experience across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, combined with his leadership in educational institutions, positions him well to make a significant contribution to the Foundation’s education programmes, such as Skills Upload Jr and Instant Network Schools, bringing strategic insight and deep regional expertise to advance our mission of creating lasting impact through digital learning and technology.

Sandra Breka: Sandra, Vice President and COO at the Open Society Foundations, is renowned for leading philanthropic innovation. During her tenure as CEO of the Robert Bosch Foundation, she spearheaded strategic and structural transformation. With previous roles at the Aspen Institute Germany and the American Council on Germany, Sandra has championed public-private partnerships to address global challenges such as conflict, climate, democracy, inequality, and migration globally She serves on the Board of the International Crisis Group and is a Member of the European Council on Foreign Relations.

Sandra’s expertise will be invaluable in advancing the Vodafone Foundation’s programmes and partnerships that use technology to support communities in times of need and to drive long-term social impact.

Avril Haines: Avril was the first woman to serve as the U.S. Director of National Intelligence and brings a unique perspective to the Board. She was also the first woman to serve as Principal Deputy National Security Advisor and Deputy Director of the CIA.

Beyond her government service, Avril has held positions at Columbia University and Johns Hopkins and served on the Refugees International Policy Advisory Council. Her deep understanding of global displacement, crisis response, and international policy aligns closely with the Vodafone Foundation’s mission to drive social impact through technology, especially across education and emergency response for the most marginalised in society.

Nick Land, Chair of Vodafone Foundation, expressed his thanks to the new Trustees for giving their time and expertise “We are thrilled to welcome these visionary leaders to our Board and know that their combined expertise and dedication to social impact will without question, enhance our work to leverage the power of technology for good.”

For more media information, contact Rachel.Gatley@Vodafone.com or 07563 267907