Jane Madgwick appointed as Executive Director

The Global Commons Alliance (GCA) is delighted to announce it has appointed Jane Madgwick, as its first Executive Director.  Jane will Join GCA in May.

Jane joins GCA from Wetlands International where she has been the Chief Executive Officer since 2004. Over this time, Jane developed Wetlands International into a substantive global network organization that has high credibility and influence with governments, corporates and civil society. Under her leadership, grassroots groups all over the world have been supported and empowered to conserve and restore the  worlds’ most important wetland landscapes, contributing to safeguard biodiversity, build community resilience and reduce climate risks.

Jane brings a wealth of experience: She’s a brilliant coalition builder and strategic vision setter. She has a deep understanding of the complexities inherent in working with  governments, civil society and industry to share scientific knowledge and establish frameworks for action.

The GCA, which is fiscally sponsored by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, is driving collaboration, innovation and funding, and is currently formed of five core components and a wide range of partners. We come together from all over the world, bringing together rigorous science with diverse ideas, perspectives and solutions in order to change mindsets, actions and systems. Everything we do is co-created but retains a single-minded focus – to enable all of us to safeguard the global commons.

This year, the  Earth Commission, GCA’s core science component, hosted by Future Earth, will deliver groundbreaking new research that integrates justice with Earth system science for protecting all people and the global commons. The safe and just Earth System Boundaries will provide governments and societies with a clear direction of travel for the just transformations needed for humans to thrive on a stable and resilient planet. Also this year, GCA’s Science Based Targets Network will be launching the first ever Science Based Targets for nature for companies.

Jane will shepherd the GCA as it delivers these and many other tools designed to empower everyone to become active guardians of the global commons we all share and depend on.  She will help bring more partners from currently under-represented parts of the world into this alliance of those willing to park their egos, pool resources and work as one for the greater good.

Jane said: “I am excited to join GCA at this pivotal moment, when the world needs to come together to make fundamental changes so that we can ensure a safe and just future for our planet and all its people. The GCA is deeply committed to building this extraordinary Alliance in a collaborative and inclusive manner with partners from all geographies and backgrounds. My vision is for GCA to be the place where climate, biodiversity, justice, and systems thinking come together; the place for nurturing and enabling decisive action across disciplines and geographies to safeguard the global commons.”

GCA’s Founder, Patrick Frick, whose visionary leadership transformed GCA from an idea conceived in a small office in Washington, D.C. in 2016, to a thriving global alliance, will support Jane’s successful onboarding and remain on as Founder. In this role he will be a sounding board for Jane, and will continue his work to engage and strengthen the partnership ecosystem that makes the GCA so unique. Patrick said: ‘The GCA has experienced tremendous growth in a very short period. This has been extremely humbling as we have operated completely differently to a regular organization: we are layered into already existing organizations and have been deeply focused on being in service to them and the core components. We now experience huge demand from companies, investors and many other actors for clear guidance on how they can become better guardians of the global commons and be part of the shift to a safe and just future. Jane’s arrival brings additional leadership and skills that massively strengthen the GCA’s ability to deliver on this demand and fulfill our strategic objectives together with our partners.’

Dario Soto Abril Chair of GCA’s Steering Committee said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Jane as we head deep into the decisive decade. Jane brings a wonderful mix of skills, personality, and experience that will enable GCA to continue the shared work of bringing justice, climate, and nature together so that we can all thrive and prosper on a stable, resilient planet.” 

For more information, please contact us:

communications@globalcommons.org