We are pleased to announce the appointment of Heather Thompson as our new chief executive officer. Ms. Thompson, who has been serving in the role of interim CEO since February, was selected by the ITDP board of directors after an extensive, international search. Her transition to permanent CEO is ongoing, and will be effective October 15.

In selecting Ms. Thompson for the role, board members highlighted her experience as a highly effective manager of people and programs in international cities, and her strong track record in environmental issues. In her new role at ITDP, she will be integrating ITDP’s environmental drive with efforts to create cities that are also economically and socially sustainable. This will enhance ITDP’s strengths of working collaboratively in different contexts, turning the challenges of rapid urbanization into opportunities to build more environmentally, economically, and socially inclusive cities. 

“I could not be happier that Heather is stepping up to become CEO. Having served as board chair and interim-CEO, she understands how to ensure ITDP delivers on its ambitious, important mission,” says Joseph Ryan, Acting Chair of the ITDP board, and Executive VP of Securing America’s Future Energy, “We have a leader who is worthy of this role, and ready to deliver tangible results that will benefit people living in cities all around the world.”

Heather Thompson brings decades of experience in the environmental non-profit sector to ITDP. Most recently, she has been advising clients, including the Asian Development Bank, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and the Environmental Defense Fund, in designing strategies that will have a large-scale impact. Ms. Thompson has been involved with ITDP for many years, initially as co-founder and Vice President of programs for ClimateWorks. Ms. Thompson has sat on the ITDP board of directors for the last eight years, serving as board chair for the last two years. She holds a MSc in environmental economics from the University of York, U.K. and a B.S. in biological sciences from the University of California, San Diego.

“I am honored to join ITDP’s esteemed international team and build on such a rich history of achievements,” said Thompson. “ITDP’s work with cities around the world shows us that bold progress can be made toward more walkable, bike-friendly, transit-accessible cities.  The need couldn’t be greater as cities around the world are booming. I am excited to be joining an organization that can truly deliver tangible improvements on the ground in cities around the world. Our challenge is to take advantage of all the opportunities we have to move our world forward towards more equitable, livable, environmentally friendly ways.”