Following approval from its 51 member countries, Razmi Farook has been announced as the new Director-General of the Commonwealth Foundation, the Commonwealth’s agency for civil society. Ms Farook will assume the role on 1 September 2025 at the Foundation’s offices in Marlborough House, London.
Razmi Farook brings exceptional leadership experience from senior roles in civil society and intergovernmental organisations, including the United Nations, the International Federation of the Red Cross, and ActionAid International. Her career has focused on supporting marginalised and war-affected communities, advocating for equity, inclusion, and active civil society participation in governance and decision-making processes.
Ms Farook’s work includes leading humanitarian diplomacy with ASEAN and its member states on disaster resilience, managing complex humanitarian portfolios across Africa, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East, and most recently directing ActionAid’s Asia Region and Global Humanitarian Programmes. Her strong commitment to civil society, human rights, and sustainable development positions her uniquely to guide the Foundation’s future work.
