Hans Wahl, SIT Jury member (2016-2019) and Director of the INSEAD Social Impact Initiative (2007-2020) passed away in Paris last Saturday.

“It is with great sadness that the Institute learned the news of Hans’s passing,” said Luisa Ferreira, Head of the Institute’s Social Programme. “Many SIT alumni will remember Hans’s experience, expertise and warmth. His contribution will not be forgotten.”

An Austrian-American citizen, Hans had a background as a human rights activist, educator and trainer, with more than 30 years of experience in economic and political development.

He designed and led a training and capacity building programme for paralegals working in post-conflict settings in Africa and established UNESCO’s Poverty and Human Rights Programme, which brought the agency’s multi-disciplinary resources to bear on the task of poverty eradication.

He previously directed an international penal and criminal justice reform training programme for Penal Reform International and held senior staff positions at Amnesty International and regional community development organisations.

He also worked as a consultant on strategic planning and organisational change with clients ranging from Siemens, AT&T and Corning to numerous small and medium-sized organisations in the United States and internationally.

A graduate from Columbia University, Hans founded several organisations and small enterprises during his career. He studied, wrote about and worked on issues of civil society development, human rights and capacity building in over 50 countries worldwide.