Jay Naidoo
Jay Naidoo is Chair of the Board of Directors and Chair of the Partnership Council of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), and founder of the social development arm of an investment and management company, J&J Group, which he co-founded. He serves in an advisory capacity for a number of organisations including the Global Health Advisory Panel of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and was recently appointed to the Broadband Commission of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). From 1994 to 1999, Jay was the Minister responsible for South Africa’s Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) and Communications Minister in Nelson Mandela’s Cabinet. He was the founding General Secretary of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) where he served three terms (1985 to 1993). From 2001-2010, Jay was Chairperson of the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA). Jay was the recipient of, among other awards, the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur (Legion of Honour), one of France’s highest decorations, and received the 'Drivers for Change Award' from the Southern African Trust and Mail & Guardian newspaper in October 2010. He has recently returned to full time voluntary work, and publishes a blog at www.thejustcause.org. Jay’s recently published autobiography, 'Fighting for Justice', is available in leading bookstores.
