Rockefeller Brothers Fund Names Ian H. Solomon President and CEO
NEW YORK, June 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Rockefeller Brothers Fund Board of Trustees announced the appointment of Ian H. Solomon as the Fund's eighth president and CEO. Solomon will assume the role in September 2026.
Solomon is currently the dean of the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia.
"We are delighted that Ian Solomon will lead our 85-year-old family foundation into its next chapter," said Joseph Pierson, chair of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund (RBF) Board of Trustees. "Ian's extensive experience in law, policymaking, diplomacy, and education spans the range of RBF's work globally, and his distinctive skills in negotiation, collaborative problem-solving, and conflict resolution position him perfectly to lead the RBF at this pivotal moment in history."
"Throughout the search process, we heard time and again of Ian's openness, his commitment to active listening, and his willingness to grapple with multiple truths and conflicting ideas," said Janai Nelson, RBF trustee and Legal Defense Fund president and director-counsel. "Ian embraces complexity—a critical quality for a global philanthropy navigating the cascading environmental, political, social, economic, and technological challenges of the 21st century."
Before joining UVA, Solomon led his own international consulting practice, which supported businesses, multilateral organizations, government agencies, academic institutions, and nonprofits on conflict resolution and collaboration. He held several positions in the federal government, including as legislative counsel to then-Senator Barack Obama, a senior adviser to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, and the U.S. executive director for the World Bank Group. As vice president for global engagement at the University of Chicago, he supported international programs and research collaborations.
Originally from New York City, Solomon earned his AB from Harvard University and his JD from Yale Law School.
"I am honored by this opportunity to lead the Rockefeller Brothers Fund," said Ian Solomon, incoming RBF president and CEO. "I have long admired the Fund, whose commitment to the greater good has touched many of the causes and organizations that inspire me. I am energized by the prospect of close collaboration with the leaders inside and outside the organization who are charting the path to a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world, and I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish together."
Solomon's appointment follows an extensive search led by the board of trustees and Russell Reynolds Associates, which began in the summer of 2025 when Stephen Heintz announced plans to retire after 25 years as RBF president and CEO.
"I extend my enthusiastic congratulations to Ian," said Stephen Heintz, outgoing RBF president and CEO. "With his reputation as a strategic, curious, empathetic, and visionary leader, Ian's appointment gives me great confidence that I leave this organization, which has profoundly shaped my own life, in the best hands to advance its long record of positive impact."
ABOUT THE ROCKEFELLER BROTHERS FUND
Founded in 1940 by the grandsons of John D. Rockefeller, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund is a private foundation with a mission to advance social change that contributes to a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world. www.rbf.org
CONTACT
Sarah Edkins, communications director: [email protected], 646-897-1672
SOURCE Rockefeller Brothers Fund
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