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Common Purpose / 07 May 2024

American Express Leadership Academy Returns to London and Proudly Presents the 2024 Fellows

Championing Non-Profit Leaders Driving Change

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London, England: Following a successful relaunch in 2023, Common Purpose and American Express proudly announce the return of the American Express Leadership Academy to London, England. From July 9th to July 12th, 2024, London will once again serve as the backdrop for an immersive and transformative leadership experience. This year's American Express Leadership Academy in London brings together 62 outstanding non-profit leaders from the United Kingdom, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, reaffirming the commitment to fostering purposeful leadership, resilience and innovation within the non-profit sector.

The 2024 Academy will convene non-profit leaders who are at the forefront of driving positive change in their communities and beyond. As they continue to tackle challenges in their communities, these leaders embody the spirit of adaptability and determination, demonstrating unwavering commitment to their causes.

“We are thrilled to bring the American Express Leadership Academy back to London for another empowering and enriching experience,” expressed Adirupa Sengupta, Global Chief Executive of Common Purpose. “In today’s rapidly evolving landscape, resilience is more than a skill – it’s a necessity. This Academy is a testament to our collective commitment to equipping non-profit leaders with the tools, insights, and support they need to navigate challenges, seize opportunities, and lead with resilience.

The American Express Leadership Academy is a six-month leadership development program, including a one-week in-person component, offered exclusively to non-profit leaders. It aims to transform the non-profit and social sector by enhancing the skills and expertise of seasoned leaders around the world. Through a combination of immersive experiences, peer-to-peer learning, and mentorship, participants gain the knowledge, confidence, and networks needed to drive meaningful change within their organizations and communities.

American Express is honored to convene the next Leadership Academy cohort in London, welcoming non-profit leaders who are on the front lines of community impact,” said Alice Lin Fabiano, VP of Global Philanthropy and Chief Operating Officer of The American Express Foundation. The participants are responsible for addressing complex needs in the communities they serve. The London Academy will be a wonderful opportunity for skill-building and professional development, which are at the core of this programme.

The American Express Leadership Academy in London will feature a diverse range of participants, each bringing their unique perspectives, experiences, and expertise to the table. 62 participants from 17 countries including The Netherlands, Germany, Lebanon, Kenya, Tanzania and the United Arab Emirates, will deepen their leadership skills, expand their networks, and emerge as even more effective agents of change. The theme of the program is “Resilient Changemakers” and it is designed to give non-profit leaders from diverse specialties and organizations a unique opportunity to learn from each other’s experiences, address current and future challenges within the sector and gain insight from leaders across industries. The program is delivered by Common Purpose in partnership with American Express, with support from global partners, Delta Air Lines and Hilton, and programming support from local non-profit partners.

The distinguished participants include:

  1. Almudena Alcaide Raya, Fundacion ONCE, Spain
  2. Nazia Ali, QED UK, United Kingdom
  3. Omar Altabakha, New Tactics in Human Rights, Jordan
  4. Sheila Ampumuza, Sawa World, Uganda
  5. Jacquiline Athieno, Habitat for Humanity International, Kenya
  6. Emmanuel Bama, Data Transport, Cote d Ivoire
  7. Oluwatoyin Banjo, Ideation Hub Africa, Nigeria
  8. Fabia Bates, The Clock Tower Sanctuary, United Kingdom
  9. Paidamoyo Patience Chadoka, Zimbabwe Association of Dairy Farmers, Zimbabwe
  10. Stephen Dallas, Bytes Project, United Kingdom
  11. Aliénor Descours de Guernon, Make A Wish International, Netherlands
  12. Sonal Dhanani, Parindey Training and Counseling, Pakistan
  13. Mags Dillon, Western Region Drug and Alcohol Task Force, Ireland
  14. Tonye Faloughi-Ekezie, Simones Oasis Foundation, Nigeria
  15. Andrew Farrell, Broads Authority Head Office, United Kingdom
  16. Josie Forsyth, FareShare South West, United Kingdom
  17. Nina Gbur, Netzwerk für Demokratie und Courage in Sachsen, Germany
  18. James Ghaffari, B Lab UK (B Corp), United Kingdom
  19. Shruti Ghose, Garbage Free India, United Arab Emirates
  20. Joanna Godden, Sussex Cancer Fund, United Kingdom
  21. Ulrike Gollmick, MIYA forest e.V, Germany
  22. Kate Grigg, The Hospice of St Francis, United Kingdom
  23. John Hartley, Fleetwood Town Community Trust, United Kingdom
  24. Marius Isavika, Kawiye Social Development foundation (KASODEFO), Tanzania
  25. Sarah Jones, The Prince's Trust, United Kingdom
  26. Peter Ronney Kapaso, Intouch Youth Development and Community Justice, South Africa
  27. Suzy Kennedy, Natural History Museum, United Kingdom
  28. Elias Khalil, Beit el Baraka NGO, Lebanon
  29. Annabel Kiddle, Trees for Cities, United Kingdom
  30. Mary Kiguru, Education for All Children (EFAC), Kenya
  31. Gary Laybourne, Coach Core Foundation, United Kingdom
  32. Gemma Lockyer Turnbull, NE Youth Ltd, United Kingdom
  33. Anouk Manassen, Generation: You Employed, Inc, Spain
  34. Nikhwat Marawat, The Delicate Mind, United Kingdom
  35. Lucía Martínez Jiménez-Alfaro, Fundación Generation Spain, Spain
  36. Jamila Mayanja, Smart Girls Uganda, Uganda
  37. Kim McCabe, Rites for Girls Community Interest Company, United Kingdom
  38. Steve McCready, Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, United Kingdom
  39. Louise Meehan, Sussex Community Foundation, United Kingdom
  40. Dipalesa Mpye, Tshikululu Social Investments, South Africa
  41. Mbalikayise Mthethwa, Skateistan, South Africa
  42. Misco Mungai, HALI Access Network, Kenya
  43. Mangala Nanda, Generation UK, United Kingdom
  44. Marta Navarro Milian, Fundación Prodis, Spain
  45. Idris Bilyaminu Ndasadu’Lau, YAPD4Africa, Nigeria
  46. Jessica Neil, Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation, United Kingdom
  47. Henry Nicholson, The Rebel School, United Kingdom
  48. Funmilayo Omisope, Home and Street Kids Welfare Initiative, Nigeria
  49. Najia Pasche, British Asian Trust, United Kingdom
  50. Georgette Purdey, Sadler's Wells, United Kingdom
  51. Fenohery Rakotondrasoa, WWF - Madagascar, Madagascar
  52. Pavlos Rossolymos, Brandon Centre, United Kingdom
  53. Megan Rowlands, RSPCA, United Kingdom
  54. Emma Rubach, Asthma And Lung UK, United Kingdom
  55. Monica Stach, Cotlands, South Africa
  56. Donal Traynor, Community Finance Ireland (CFI), Ireland
  57. Charles Umeh, Parkers Mobile Clinic, Nigeria
  58. Diane Vernon, EmployabilityUK , United Kingdom
  59. Lin Vong, Ignite hubs, United Kingdom
  60. Anna Wigley, National Trust, United Kingdom
  61. James Winkworth, South Downs National Park Trust, United Kingdom
  62. Rob Young, Switch the Play Foundation, United Kingdom

The 2024 American Express Leadership Academy in London represents a powerful convergence of vision, passion, and action. As participants come together to share their stories, insights, and aspirations, they reaffirm their commitment to building a more resilient and equitable world.

The American Express Leadership Academy in London is one of three 2024 locations, including: 

  • Sydney, Australia: May 14-17, welcoming 74 non-profit leaders from APAC.
  • London, England: July 9-12, welcoming 62 non-profit leaders from the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
  • New York City, USA: November 12-14, welcoming non-profit leaders from The Americas.

Learn more about the 2024 Academies here .

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Common Purpose

Common Purpose is a global non-profit devoted to good leadership. Its mission is to develop people who can cross cultural, social, and institutional boundaries, both at work and in wider society. It does this by delivering compelling, surprising, and powerful leadership programs & workshops. Routed in the real-world. Both in-person and online. Programs where people are having the real, purpose-driven conversations, the types of conversations we need to be having to bring about real change.

Founded in 1989 as a non-profit social enterprise, Common Purpose now runs local programs for leaders in cities across the world and global programmes for leaders from over 100 countries across six continents. Each year, 5,000 leaders become Common Purpose alumni.

Twitter: @CommonPurpose

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American Express

American Express is a globally integrated payments company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success. Learn more at americanexpress.com and connect with us on facebook.com/americanexpress, 
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linkedin.com/company/american-express, twitter.com/americanexpress, and youtube.com/americanexpress.

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