ICC elects two new members to Executive Board

Hailing from Brazil and South Africa, the leaders were formally elected during the annual meeting of ICC’s World Council on 11 June and will further strengthen ICC’s strategic leadership.

The new members are Marienne Coutinho, Lead Partner of Tax Transformation and Member of KPMG Innovation & Enterprise Solutions Committee in Brazil and Ralph Mupita, President and CEO of MTN Group (South Africa). They will each serve a three-year term effective 1 July 2021.

The newly elected leaders replace outgoing Board members Daniel Feffer, Robert Gutsche and Frank Ning, each of whom had completed two successive terms on the 28-member Executive Board.

In line with commitments, the latest additions also bring further diversity to ICC’s senior-most governing body and ensure the world business organisation remains on track to attain a minimum of 40% women representation on the board.

The elections also confirmed second mandates for current board members Giampiero Massolo, President, Fincantieri (Italy), Xu Niansha, Chair, China Poly Group Corporation (China) and Zabihullah Ziarmal, CEO, Cefe Group International (Afghanistan).

Marienne Coutinho

With more than 26 years’ experience at KPMG, Ms Coutinho is a member of the Innovation and Enterprise Solutions committee of KPMG in Brazil as well as a member of the Global Advisory Board of KPMG IMPACT, focused on issues affecting people and planet. Ms Coutinho is also a Co-Chair of the Brazil Chapter of Women Corporate Directors (WCD), a global foundation promoting diversity on Boards, and a Co-Founder of Conselheira 101, a Brazilian programme that fosters racial diversity on Boards.

Ralph Mupita

Mr Mupita has extensive experience leading large organisations in Africa and emerging markets. He currently serves as MTN Group President and CEO (appointed September 2020), after having served as Chief Finance Officer from April 2017. Prior to joining MTN, Ralph was the Chief Executive Officer of Old Mutual Emerging Markets, providing financial services in Africa, Latin America and Asia. Ralph serves on the boards of several companies, is as a Commissioner of the United Nations Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development, a member of the GSMA Board and a Champion of the World Economic Forum EDISON Alliance. He is passionate about the role that technology can play in bridging Africa’s digital and financial divide.

Speaking at a recent meeting of the ICC Executive Board, which recommended the appointment of Ms Coutinho and Mr Mupita to the ICC World Council, ICC Chair Ajay Banga said:

“I have no doubt that these new members and leaders in their fields will make outstanding additions to the current board, contributing valuable expertise in finance, taxation, innovation, and enhancing ICC’s important work on digital trade and economy matters. ICC thanks outgoing Executive Board members Robert Gutsche, Frank Ning and Daniel Feffer for their many contributions to the organisation during their respective mandates, which concluded on 9 June.”