Message from the Board of Directors of Climate Action Network International

13 February 2019

13 February 2019

The CAN International Board of Directors (the Board) is very pleased to announce its appointment of Ms Tasneem Essop as the Interim Executive Director for CAN International (the Secretariat).

Her appointment is for six months, effective from 1 February 2019. During this time the Board will initiate an open and transparent process that will lead to the appointment of new leadership for CAN. Ms Essop’s primary focus during this transitional period will be to lead the Secretariat, implement specific recommendations of the workplace investigation report, and work in close cooperation with the Board on key aspects of strengthening the CAN organisation.

South African born and based, Ms Essop has significant experience in the climate movement. She has held various senior government positions in South Africa; was a global climate policy and strategy leader for environmental NGO WWF International; and most recently was the founding director of an NGO in South Africa, focusing on energy democracy. Her vast management experience includes an emphasis on finance, working in virtual teams across cultures, and convening stakeholders from government, business and communities to align around common goals.

The CAN Board would like to take this opportunity to express sincere thanks to Dr Stephan Singer, CAN International’s Senior Advisor on Global Energy Policy who, at short notice, agreed to take on the additional responsibility of leading the CAN International Secretariat through the period of the workplace investigation between mid-November, 2018 and end of January, 2019.

A brief biography of Ms Essop may be found here. 

Issued on behalf of the CAN International Board of Directors