Rockefeller Foundation Announces New Chief Financial Officer

NEW YORK | February 26, 2024 — The Rockefeller Foundation announced that Keith Olson has been named Chief Financial Officer (CFO). He moves to The Rockefeller Foundation after more than a dozen years as Executive Vice President and CFO for the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). Mr. Olson joins The Rockefeller Foundation at a time when the 110-year-old philanthropic organization is in the early stages of a $1 billion commitment to advance the global climate transition and help ensure everyone, including the most vulnerable, can participate in it.

“Keith brings the experience and tenor to help take our work to the next level,” said Natalye Paquin, The Rockefeller Foundation’s Chief Operating Officer (COO). “As a global organization with a people-centered approach, we rely on leaders to drive impact that improves the lives and livelihood of the most vulnerable communities around the world.”

As part of its five-year climate strategy, The Rockefeller Foundation is also targeting net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for its endowment by 2050, making it the largest private U.S. foundation to date to make that commitment. In addition, the Foundation is taking steps toward reaching net zero for the entirety of its global operations, which include headquarters in New York City and locations in Washington, D.C.; Nairobi, Kenya; Bangkok, Thailand; and Bellagio, Italy.

“I’m thrilled to join The Rockefeller Foundation at such a pivotal moment in its history. Few institutions can match its track record as a catalyst in developing solutions to some of the world’s largest problems. I’m honored to be able to work with the Foundation’s partners and staff in taking on the critical challenge of climate,” said Mr. Olson.

From 2012-2023, Mr. Olson oversaw all financial functions and several administrative departments at CFR, the independent and nonpartisan foreign policy-focused institution, including financial management, risk management, information technology, digital, and facilities operations. His accomplishments included the establishment of CFR’s first internal Chief Information Officer (CIO) to manage its growing endowment, assisting Foreign Affairs in developing digital and revenue strategies for the magazine, multiple website redesigns, and implementation of several enterprise IT systems to streamline administration.

Prior to joining CFR, Mr. Olson spent more than eight years with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), including a stint serving as its Interim CFO. At BMGF, he developed foundation-wide budgeting and capital allocation processes, helped create the foundations initial approach to using program-related investments (PRIs) in addition to its traditional grant making, and collaborated on the foundation’s strategy development and impact assessment processes that supported its thirty plus areas of giving.

Prior to his non-profit career, Keith worked in a series of corporate finance positions and in corporate development functions with multiple digital focused start-ups. Mr. Olson completed Bachelor of Science degrees in economics and industrial management from Purdue University and holds an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.

About The Rockefeller Foundation

The Rockefeller Foundation is a pioneering philanthropy built on collaborative partnerships at the frontiers of science, technology, and innovation that enable individuals, families, and communities to flourish. We make big bets to promote the well-being of humanity. Today, we are focused on advancing human opportunity and reversing the climate crisis by transforming systems in food, health, energy, and finance. For more information, sign up for our newsletter at www.rockefellerfoundation.org/subscribe and follow us on X @RockefellerFdn and LI @the-rockefeller-foundation.