Global Citizen Taps Star Power for Ambitious Anti-Poverty Push

NEW YORK, NY – January 19, 2026 – Global Citizen, the international advocacy organization known for its massive, star-studded festivals, has significantly bolstered its leadership ranks, signaling a strategic pivot towards deeper global expansion and private-sector integration. The movement to end extreme poverty announced the appointment of five influential figures to its Global Board of Directors: EGOT-winning artist and activist John Legend; Avie Glazer, Co-Chairman of Manchester United; H.E. Mariam AlMheiri, a key executive at Abu Dhabi's 2PointZero holding company; Omar Al-joulani, President of Touring at Live Nation Concerts; and Ankur Jain, founder and CEO of Bilt.

This high-profile recruitment drive is designed to steer the organization's next phase of growth, focusing on new campaigns, major global events, and a concerted push into the Middle East and Africa. The new members join a board tasked with turning public action into measurable progress on critical issues like education, health, and climate change.

"At a time when the world needs bold, cross-sector leadership to accelerate progress against extreme poverty, Global Citizen is proud to welcome an extraordinary group of leaders to our Board," said Hugh Evans, Co-Founder and CEO of Global Citizen, in a statement. He emphasized that the new members bring the "reach and expertise to help us mobilize new audiences... scale our campaigns... and drive real-world outcomes."

The Power Play: Leveraging Influence for Global Reach

The composition of the new board appointments is a clear masterclass in leveraging influence. By bringing in titans from entertainment, sports, and business, Global Citizen is amplifying its capacity for visibility, fundraising, and high-level advocacy. This strategy banks on the idea that star power, when harnessed effectively, can translate into tangible social impact.

John Legend's appointment formalizes a long-standing relationship with the organization. A supporter since its inception, Legend's involvement goes far beyond performing. His own philanthropic work, including the FREEAMERICA campaign to end mass incarceration and the HUMANLEVEL initiative to fight racial inequity, aligns deeply with Global Citizen's mission. "I’ve been with Global Citizen since the very beginning... I’ve seen how this organization turns collective energy into real progress, and I’m honored to help guide its mission forward," Legend stated. His headline performance at the 2025 Move Afrika tour underscores this commitment.

Similarly, the inclusion of Avie Glazer, Co-Chairman of the world's most popular sports team, Manchester United, and Omar Al-joulani, a key figure at live entertainment giant Live Nation, opens up vast new audiences and logistical prowess. Glazer brings access to a global fanbase of over 1.1 billion, while Al-joulani's expertise in worldwide touring is invaluable for an organization that uses large-scale concerts as its primary engagement tool. "Having partnered with Global Citizen over the years on tours, festivals, and a range of initiatives, I’ve seen firsthand the real impact of their work,” said Al-joulani.

Beyond Borders: A Strategic Push into New Regions

A central pillar of Global Citizen's new strategy is its ambitious international expansion, with a sharp focus on the Middle East and Africa—regions facing unique and severe poverty challenges. Research shows that the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is the only region to see a rise in extreme poverty since 2010, largely due to conflict and economic instability. Meanwhile, Sub-Saharan Africa, while home to just 16% of the world's population, accounts for a staggering two-thirds of all people living in extreme poverty.

The appointment of H.E. Mariam AlMheiri is pivotal to this geographic push. As Vice Chair and Managing Director of 2PointZero, a newly formed holding company under Abu Dhabi's massive International Holding Company (IHC), she represents a powerful bridge to the region. The press release explicitly mentions a "new partnership through IHC" to support expansion. With 2PointZero's assets projected to exceed $27 billion, this partnership could unlock significant financial and strategic resources.

“Across my work spanning policy, sustainability, and technology-enabled development, I have seen how closely poverty, resilience, and access to opportunity are linked,” said H.E. AlMheiri. Her background as the former UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment provides critical policy expertise as the organization tackles interconnected global crises.

This expansion is already taking shape through the "Move Afrika" initiative, a long-term effort to create a pan-African music touring circuit that fosters job creation and drives investment. With Rwanda as its anchor city until 2028 and recent expansion to Lagos, Nigeria, the initiative aims to build sustainable local creative economies, directly addressing the root causes of poverty on the continent.

From Vision to Venture: The Innovators' Mandate

Beyond geography and celebrity, the new board also reflects a deliberate injection of entrepreneurial and results-driven thinking. Ankur Jain, Founder and CEO of Bilt and the venture studio Kairos, embodies this ethos. Recognized for building companies that tackle major societal challenges like housing affordability, Jain brings a "solution broker" mindset to the board.

“Many organizations have great intentions, but Global Citizen doesn’t just think big, they drive huge change in everything they do,” Jain commented. “Their ability to mobilize millions of people and turn that action into measurable impact on the world’s most pressing challenges is unparalleled.” His experience with Kairos, an incubator for young entrepreneurs solving global problems, suggests he will push the organization to innovate and scale its impact in a manner akin to a high-growth tech venture.

This focus on business acumen is complemented by Avie Glazer's extensive corporate background, which includes chairing INNOVATE Corp. and formerly leading Zapata Corporation, the oil and gas company founded by President George H.W. Bush. While his family's philanthropy is notable, particularly through the Glazer Vision Foundation providing free eye care to children, his corporate experience points to a focus on operational excellence and strategic investment.

The Accountability Question: Translating Star Power into Results

The strategic assembly of such a high-powered board is undeniably impressive, but it also raises the critical question of accountability. The history of non-profit governance is littered with examples of high-profile boards that serve more as window dressing than as active drivers of change. The primary challenge for Global Citizen will be to avoid the pitfalls of "tokenism" and ensure that this immense influence is translated into concrete, measurable outcomes for the world's most vulnerable populations.

Effective governance will require more than just name recognition; it demands deep engagement, strategic oversight, and a relentless focus on the mission. The organization must ensure that its board's diverse expertise is actively channeled into strengthening programs, improving operational efficiency, and holding both itself and world leaders accountable for their commitments.

Global Citizen's model has always been predicated on turning collective action into tangible results. With this new board, the potential to scale that model is greater than ever. The visionaries, industry leaders, and cultural icons now at the table possess the networks and expertise to unlock unprecedented resources and influence. The ultimate measure of their success, however, will not be the headlines they generate, but the lives they tangibly improve in the ongoing fight to end extreme poverty.