2022 was a transformative year for the Foundation in terms of governance and operations. The Board welcomed non-Board Members onto its Committees for Investment, Audit, Oversight and Fundraising to boost diversity and expertise to support the Strategy implementation.
Changes to the Foundation’s Deed were accepted by the Federal Supervisory Authority for Foundations in Switzerland following approval by the Board, to re-activate the previously dormant Life Member category; clarify the terms of office for Board Members and Officers; and allow for the third ex-officio WOSM representative to be chosen from any of the elected World Scout Committee members instead of just one of the two Vice-Chairpersons.
Board Meetings and Decisions
The Foundation Board met twice in 2022: in April, in Dublin alongside the 74th BP Fellowship Event, and in September, in Luxembourg, by kind invitation of the Foundation’s Chair. Board Committees met in person prior to each meeting, and the new Fundraising Committees met for the first time in Luxembourg.
The 73rd Meeting of the Board, meeting on 23 April 2022:
- Approved the audited financial statements for 2021.
- Approved the reports of the 49th, 50th, 51st and 52nd meetings of the Executive Committee.
- Approved the Annual Operational Grant for the WOSM budget year 2022/2023 of USD 2.8 million (based on the agreed formula).
- Approved the Agreement for a Credit Facility with JP Morgan for a maximum of USD 5 million, with withdrawals requiring the pre-approval of the Executive Committee.
- Adopted the 2022–2030 Strategy for the Foundation.
- Approved the proposed changes to the Foundation’s Deed, which included re-activating the dormant Life Member category for Board Members.
- Approved the appointment of Rob Woolford as Chair-Elect, including collective signature rights for the Foundation.
- Approved the renewed co-optation of all Board Members whose 3-year tenure ended in April 2022.
The 74th Meeting of the Board, meeting on 9 September 2022:
- Approved the reports of the 53rd, 54th and 55th meetings of the Executive Committee.
- Approved the 2023 Operational Budget.
- Agreed that Siegfried Weiser and Rob Woolford represent the Foundation in the negotiations regarding the Messengers of Peace 2.0 grant agreement and mandated Siegfried Weiser to sign the approved agreement on behalf of the Foundation Board.
- Approved the adoption of the Chapter Framework supporting current and new Chapters.
- Approved the revised System of Internal Control.
- Approved Portugal as the location for the 75th Meeting of the Board in April 2023.
- The Foundation fulfilled its commitment to the Scout Movement by providing USD 6.91 million in grants during the calendar year (2021: USD 5.87 million).
- Our fundraising income amounted to nearly USD 5 million compared with nearly USD 3.7 million in 2021. In 2021 we created a provision of USD 2.25 million for Messengers of Peace 1.0, which will remain on the balance sheet in 2022.
- Aside from the Messengers of Peace Core Fund, which was nearly fully depleted in 2022, project grants to Scouting around the world continued apace with grants awarded from the following Donor Advised Funds: the HRH Prince Alwaleed Fund; the Alwaleed Philanthropies Fund for the SDGs project; the Perry Family Fund; the Condit Fund; the Weiser Fund; and the Jim Turley Fund.
- The Executive Committee of the Board met virtually six times in 2022, managing the business of the Foundation in between Board Meetings.
- The excellent relationship with our colleagues in the World Scout Committee and World Scout Bureau was further strengthened in 2022.
- The Young BP Fellows Task Force continued its work in 2022, actively engaging with its peers via the Jamboree on the Internet, social media, an online Speakers Series engagement, and by initiating a Giving Circle.
- The Audit Committee met once in April before the Board Meeting.
- The Oversight Committee met once virtually and twice in-person before each Board Meeting.
- The three Fundraising Committees established by the Board in 2021 gained momentum in 2022 and met once in person before the Board Meeting in September in Luxembourg and several times virtually from June 2022 onwards.
- In 2022, the Foundation’s Investment Committee very closely monitored its portfolio management by its custodial investment manager JP Morgan Switzerland and its active manager FTCI. The markets led, unfortunately, to a decrease in value of -14.78% (+8.96% in 2021).
- In total, 22 BP Fellows and external experts were appointed to the different Sub-Committees of the Board, broadening the expertise, knowledge and skills available.
- The Secretariat moved in late February 2022 from Geneva to Kandersteg as approved by the Executive Committee on 13 October 2021.
- The approved new structure of the Secretariat was implemented.
- For the first time, we ran a fruitful Annual Appeal targetting existing donors and other supporters of the Foundation via multiple digital and print channels. The learnings of this first Annual Appeal will be used to optimise the 2023 Annual Appeal.
Board Members
As of 31 December 2022, the Foundation Board comprises 25 influential businesspersons, representatives of global Scouting and world leaders, led by our Honorary Chairman, His Majesty the King of Sweden.
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HM The King of Sweden
Honorary Chairman
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HRH Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg
Chair
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Rob Woolford
Chair-Elect
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Hector Robledo Cervantes
Immediate Past Chair
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Fredrik Gottlieb
Treasurer
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Mark Knippenberg
Chief Executive Officer
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Lars Kolind
Secretary
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Ahmad Alhendawi
Secretary General, WOSM
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Faisal A. Al-Muaammar
Member
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HH Princess Sama Bint Faisal Al Saud
Member
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Margot Bogert
Member
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Byung-Soo Baik
Member
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Andy Chapman
Chairperson, World Scout Committee
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Jo Deman
Vice Chairperson, World Scout Committee
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Jens Ehrhardt
Member
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David B. Huestis
Member
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Johannes Jonas
Member
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Suk-Won Kim
Member
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John Leece
Member
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Yorimasa Matsudaira
Member
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Geoff Morgan
Member
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Beat Wenger
Member
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Siegfried Weiser
Member
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Alex Wong
Member
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Dato Soo Keng Yeoh
Member
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Abdullah O. Nasseef
Life Member
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Wayne Perry
Life Member
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Thamnoon Wanglee
Life Member
Membership of WSF Committees
The Foundation counts on an incredible network of volunteers working in numerous Sub-Committees of the Board and working groups to achieve our vision and Strategy.
| Chair | HRH Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg |
| Chair-Elect | Rob Woolford (UK) |
| Immediate Past Chair | Hector Robledo Cervantes (MX) |
| Secretary | Lars Kolind (DK) |
| Treasurer | Fredrik Gottlieb (SE) |
| Chair, Investment Committee Board Member | Jens Ehrhardt (DE) |
| Board Member | Siegfried Weiser (DE) |
| Chair, World Scout Committee | Edward Andrew “Andy” Chapman (US) |
| Secretary General, WOSM | Ahmad Alhendawi (JO) |
| Chief Executive Officer | Mark Knippenberg (NL) |
| Chair | David B. Huestis (CA) |
| Members | John Leece, AM (AU) |
| Daniel Nelson (CA) | |
| Alexander Wong (HK) | |
| Ex-Officio | Fredrik Gottlieb (SE) |
| Secretary | Mark Knippenberg (NL) |
| Chair | Jens Ehrhardt (DE) |
| Members | Fredrik Gottlieb (SE) |
| Wolfgang Kniese (DE) | |
| Walter Schadenfroh (LI) | |
| Rob Woolford (UK) | |
| Yorimasa Matsudaira (JP) | |
| Secretary | Mark Knippenberg (NL) |
| Chair | Board Chair |
| Members | Honorary Chairman |
| Chair-Elect | |
| Immediate Past Chair | |
| Secretary | Mark Knippenberg (NL) |
| Chair | Johannes Jonas (DE) |
| Members | Jo Deman (BE) |
| Ana Kristy Giacoman Favela (MX) | |
| Hector Robledo Cervantes (MX) | |
| Alexander Wong (HK) | |
| Secretary | Nicole Gooderson (CH) |
| Chair | Board Chair |
| Members | Chair-Elect |
| Immediate Past Chair |
| Chair | Lars Kolind (DK) |
| Members | HH Princess Sama bint Faisal Al Saud (SA) |
| Ahmad Ahlendawi (JO) | |
| Byung-Soo Baik (KR) | |
| Thomas Hirt (CH) | |
| David Huestis (CA) | |
| Stefan Mahlstein (SE) | |
| Secretary | Mischa Rychener (CH) |
| Chair | Siegfried Weiser (DE) |
| Members | Margot Bogert (US) |
| Andy Chapman (US) | |
| Dr. Jens Ehrhardt (DE) | |
| Jennifer Hancock (US) | |
| Bob Mazzuca (US) | |
| Sabina von Arx (CH) | |
| Beat Wenger (CH) | |
| Rob Woolford (UK) | |
| Secretary | Mischa Rychener (CH) |
| Co-Chairs | Hector Robledo Cervantes (MX) |
| Soo Keng Yeoh (MY) | |
| Members | Faisal Almuaammar (SA) |
| Tejen Barbezat (CH) | |
| Angus Boxall (AU), Working Group Lead | |
| Jo Deman (BE) | |
| Thomas Frostberg (SE) | |
| Kimberly Gadwah (CA) | |
| Nicole Goldstein (CO) | |
| Marshall Hollis (US) | |
| Seraphine Iskandar Hwang (HK) | |
| Johannes Jonas (DE) | |
| Alexander Killby (CA), YBPF Task Force Coordinator | |
| John Leece (AU) | |
| Yorimasa Matsudaira (JP) | |
| Geoff Morgan (AU) | |
| Leonardo Ocampo Guadarrama (MX) | |
| Luke Saunders (AU) | |
| Thijs Stoffer (NL), Working Group Lead | |
| Darci Swanson (US), Working Group Lead | |
| Craig Turpie (UK) | |
| Alexander Wong (HK) | |
| Secretary | Mischa Rychener (CH) |
| Coordinator | Alexander Killby (CA) |
| Members | Frans Bergkvist (SE) |
| Jan Hendrik Buchmann (DE) | |
| Ana Kristy Giacoman Favela (MX) | |
| Emma Stoffer (CH) | |
| Junbert Pabon (PH) | |
| Nathan Yiu (CA) | |
| WSF Staff | Nicole Gooderson (CH) |
Secretariat
The day-to-day running of the Foundation is supported by a small and mighty staff team, which grew from two to six over the course of 2022, including two dedicated positions for fundraising. The Secretariat moved from Geneva to Kandersteg at the end of February 2022, while still maintaining the Foundation’s registration and legal seat in the Canton of Geneva. Meet the staff team of the World Scout Foundation:
Mark Knippenberg
Chief Executive Officer
Nicole Gooderson
Director of Engagement & Deputy CEO
Mischa Rychener
Director of Philanthropy
Louise Goddard
Associate, Digital Marketing & Engagement
Felipe Marqueis
Associate, Philanthropy
Jozefina Wandfluh
Office Manager
Thank you
We’d also like to recognise some special individuals — volunteers and staff — who have dedicated their time in 2022 to advance the Foundation’s work. Our grateful thanks to:
- Colleagues at the World Scout Bureau and Kandersteg International Scout Centre.
- Colleagues from Scouting Ireland, Scouting in Luxembourg and the staff of the Cour grand-ducale de Luxembourg for everything you did to support our successful events in Dublin and Luxembourg in 2022.
- Alex Killby, for IT and knowledge management support, including for the 2022 digital Annual Report, in addition to other work undertaken in various committees.
- Anne Whiteford for facilitating the WSF Strategy work. Our warm thanks too to Task Force members: Bob Mazzuca, Thijs Stoffer, Ahmad Alhendawi, David Berg, Lydia Murimi, Mark Knippenberg and Nicole Gooderson.
- Beatriz Candeias, Dan Spicer, Federico Abancens, Ivana Jarebica, Jack Horgan, Jessica Kieb, Lydia Keating, Maria Florencia Cagliero, Mihaela Ciobanu, Nora Smith, Nika Gorovska for their support to our 2022 Impact Seminar.
- George Michael Rofaeil, our design volunteer, for innovative work on our Annual Appeal and 2022 Annual Report.
- Victor Ortega, for design and video production, including for our 2022 events and Annual Report.
