Celine Yvon

Biography

Céline Yvon is passionate about innovative and creative approaches to social change.

As Deputy Executive Director of the Trafigura Foundation, Céline supports social entrepreneurs around the world in tackling root causes of poverty with a particular focus on creating fair and sustainable jobs, promoting clean and safe value chains, and Climate Action. The Foundation’s portfolio currently encompasses more than 30 partnerships across 30 countries. Céline is also the founder of a boutique consultancy leveraging creative actors as agents for change -- she is supporting the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and has lectured at the Zurich University of the Arts on the matter.

Working first for the Swiss Foreign Ministry, Céline then moved on to advisory and executive positions at private foundations working globally – building up 20 years of experience in international cooperation (e.g. Iraq, Mozambique, Central African Republic or Uzbekistan). Céline was involved in various Boards and associations, among which the UNWomen National Committee for Switzerland.

Céline holds a M.A. in International Affairs from the Graduate Institute in Geneva and a certificate on Innovation & Sustainability from the Harvard Business School. She also has a music background and has published fiction and non-fiction.

The Trafigura Foundation

Established in November 2007 as an independent philanthropic entity, the Trafigura Foundation provides long-term funding and expertise to improve socio-economic conditions of vulnerable communities around the world. It joins forces with experienced organisations working on the field to achieve long-lasting impact with programmes tailored on local realities. The Trafigura Foundation is active in all continents with projects in more than 30 countries.