Speakers

Marco de Ponte

HIVOS

Marco De Ponte joined as Chief Executive Officer at Hivos on April 1, 2025. With over 20 years of leadership in the international NGO sector, Marco is widely recognized for his strategic vision, innovation, and deep commitment to social justice and civil society.

Marco brings a wealth of experience from his long-standing career at ActionAid International (2001–March 2025), where he held several senior positions. As Secretary General of ActionAid Italy, he led the organization through a transformative period marked by significant growth, diversification of income, and strengthened policy and advocacy work. He played a key role in the development of four strategic plans, including the current Agorà2028, and guided ActionAid Italy’s transition into the ActionAid Alliance. Under his leadership, the organization expanded its grassroots presence by establishing over 70 local volunteer groups and launching a European local program in 2011. He is still a member of the Coordination Committee of the Italy Inequality Forum' and has written extensively on issues of social justice, human rights and economic inequality' From 2002 to 2011, Marco served as International Director for Europe, New Countries, and Planning, where he was instrumental in ActionAid’s internationalization. He chaired the ActionAid Alliance and led the New Countries Strategy (2005–2010), successfully expanding the organization’s presence in Europe and other high-income countries, which generated €96 million in income.

He also helped establish a European regional coordination structure and oversaw cross-border expansion into countries such as Brazil, India, Indonesia, and Ukraine, with ActionAid Italy directly managing operations in Switzerland. In addition to his work with ActionAid, Marco has contributed to the sector through roles with Amnesty International’s Secretariat and as Human Rights Coordinator at Inter SoS. He is also the founder of AGIRE, Italy’s national disaster emergency committee, and was instrumental in founding Italy’s first national platform for international NGOs in 2002.

Marco holds a Laurea in Politics, Economics, and History from the Università degli Studi di Padova and an MA in Understanding and Securing Human Rights from the University of London. His career reflects a deep dedication to human rights, international cooperation, and organizational development.