A Canadian national, Marc Van Ameringen has spent more than twenty years working in the field of international development. He is the Executive Director of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), which supports programs aimed at reducing malnutrition with a focus on micronutrient deficiencies. In this role, Marc manages the GAIN Secretariat in Geneva and is responsible for GAIN program delivery as well as finance, administration and human resources.

Under his leadership, GAIN has become a major alliance of business, governments and international organizations that is implementing at scale nutrition programs in more than 30 countries. These innovative market-driven programs are improving the lives of over 610 million people, of which more than half are women and children.

Prior to joining GAIN in December 2004, Marc was Vice President of the Canada-based Micronutrient Initiative (MI), where he was responsible for coordination, planning and management of MI programs. Before this, he was Special Advisor to the G8 Summit within the Canadian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, assisting the G8 in responding to the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) initiative.

From 1992 to 2002, Marc was a Director based in Africa for the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), responsible for a number of large development programs across Africa. He played an important role in assisting South Africa and other countries in Southern Africa in their reconstruction and development. Prior to moving to Africa, he held various senior positions in Canada for IDRC and other organizations.

Marc has served as a Board Member and Trustee of many different development organizations and has published a number of books on development in Africa. In 2008, he was appointed a Member of the Institute of Medicine’s Committee on U.S. Commitment to Global Health. In 2009, he was nominated Vice Chair of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Nutrition.

World Affairs, World Economic Forum,