The Overseas Development Institute has announced the appointment of Jeff Seabright to the Board of Trustees.

Mr Seabright is Chief Sustainability Officer at Unilever – one of the world’s largest consumer goods and food companies.

He was previously Vice-President for Environment and Water Resources at Coca-Cola, Vice-President for Policy Planning at Texaco, and started his career as a Strategy Consultant for Booz Allen & Hamilton.

Mr Seabright spent 20 years in the US government, serving in the State Department, USAID, US Senate and the Clinton White House.

He is a board member of Business for Social Responsibility, Synergos, Global Water Challenge, Tropical Forest Alliance, World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Food Security and Agriculture, and co-chairs the Consumer Goods Forum Sustainability Steering Committee.

Announcing the appointment, James Cameron, Chair of the ODI board, said: 'I am delighted to welcome Jeff to ODI’s Board of Trustees. Jeff is a leader in corporate sustainability – an area of growing importance as governments work more with the private sector to fight poverty and build sustainable economies in developing countries.'

ODI’s Executive Director Alex Thier added: 'Unilever has been a leader in examining the ways in which the private sector can benefit both the poorest and the planet. Jeff’s contribution to changing the way big business thinks and acts has been enormous.  I am very pleased to welcome him to ODI as our new Trustee.'

Responding to his appointment, Mr Seabright said: 'I am honoured to join the ODI Board and look forward to bringing my business experience to our shared imperative to drive more inclusive and sustainable development.'

Mr Seabright's appointment follows on from the appointment to the board last month of Shantayanan Devarajan, Senior Director for Development Economics at the World Bank. (link to https://www.odi.org/news/833-statement-shanta-devarajan-appointed-odi-board-trustees )

ENDS