Prominent international lawyer and accomplished advocate for social justice and sustainability in New York and globally assumes new role after joining Board in 2018
(New York, NY — April 23, 2021) – The Board of Trustees of New York Public Radio (NYPR), home of WNYC, WQXR, WNYC Studios, Gothamist, The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space, and New Jersey Public Radio, announced today that Timothy A. Wilkins has been elected Board Chair at its April meeting. Wilkins joined NYPR’s Board of Trustees in 2018, and was elected Vice Chair in 2020. He succeeds Mayo S. Stuntz, Jr., who served as Chair for four years beginning April 2017.
An internationally acclaimed attorney, Wilkins has over two decades of experience guiding social justice, cultural, and sustainability initiatives across New York City and around the world. He is the Global Partner for Client Sustainability at the international law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP. Wilkins leads the firm’s sustainability practice, advising clients on regulatory, litigation and transactional issues related to environmental, social and governance matters. Wilkins co-led the founding of the New York Circular City Initiative, a collaboration of city agencies, businesses and foundations, to promote employment and a greener environment for the city. He also served as Chair of the Governance Committee and on the Executive Committee of the Board of the NYC Economic Development Corporation.
Wilkins has served on the boards of several additional leading non-profit organizations, including the Public Theater, the Cyrus Vance Center for International Justice, the Opportunity Agenda as Chair, and the NYC Global Partners as President, among others. In 2016, 2017 and 2020, he was recognized by EMPower, Yahoo! Finance and the Financial Times as one of the Top 100 Ethnic Minority Executives. He was also named Minority Lawyer of the Year at the U.S. Chambers Diversity Awards in 2016.
“I am thrilled to have Tim assume the role of Board Chair at such a critical time for our organization, our city, and the world,” said NYPR President and CEO Goli Sheikholeslami. “Through his professional work and participation on numerous non-profit boards, Tim has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to ensuring a brighter future for our community. He has worked tirelessly to build and strengthen the institutions that are the cultural and economic bedrock of New York, always with a focus on ensuring these organizations serve all New Yorkers equitably and sustainably. His deep understanding of the distinct role New York Public Radio plays in our city and his advocacy around diversity, equity and inclusion will help us meet our mission even more powerfully, and I am excited to partner with him on what’s ahead.”
"I am honored to serve as Chair of the Board of this incredible organization," said Wilkins. "The pace of era-defining news and events shows no sign of slowing, making the public service of New York Public Radio and the dedication of the people behind it more necessary than ever. I look forward to collaborating even more closely with each of these individuals and my fellow Board members as we build on the innovations of my predecessors to further the reach and impact of NYPR’s groundbreaking work.”
In his time at Freshfields, Wilkins developed several novel programs to bolster the success of students and lawyers of color, including founding the firm’s participation in Legal Outreach, an organization that has for over 30 years provided college prep and professional experiences for high school students throughout New York City. Prior to his current role, he was a partner in Freshfields’ cross-border mergers and acquisition practice, and was the Vice Chair of the Legal Services Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan, where he worked as an investment banker and lawyer for 11 years. Wilkins is also an adjunct professor of international law at Hunter College and lectures frequently at universities and business forums on sustainability and diversity.
Wilkins graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College, and is a graduate of Harvard Business School and Harvard Law School, where he was awarded the Ford Foundation Fellowship in Public International Law.
No comments:
Post a Comment