Maqsoda Maqsodi named new President and CEO of Winrock International
LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS (June 25, 2024) ─ Winrock International’s Board of Directors today announced that Maqsoda Maqsodi will become the organization’s new president and CEO on July 29th, 2024, succeeding Rodney Ferguson, who departed in late 2023.
Maqsodi, currently the president and CEO of IntraHealth International of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, will be responsible for the strategic, programmatic, management and financial operations of Winrock International. Winrock implements projects in more than 40 countries around the world and across the U.S. in its mission to empower communities, increase economic opportunity and sustain natural resources. Maqsodi will lead Winrock’s global staff of more than 1,000, including in-country technical experts, project directors, program managers and others with a continued commitment to supporting locally led, community-based sustainable development and innovation.
“We are thrilled to announce Maqsoda Maqsodi as our new president and CEO,” said Winrock Board Chairman Jude Kearney. “Maqsoda joins us with an extraordinary background and wealth of experience in both the nonprofit and for-profit international development world. In collaboration with diverse local and global partners, we believe she is the ideal leader to guide Winrock as we pursue our mission to increase economic opportunity where it is most needed, and to protect and sustain the world’s natural resources.”
Maqsodi brings over 20 years of experience dedicated to decreasing disparities globally. Her expertise in business development, strategic planning, operations, and programmatic impact spans many sectors, including health, democracy and governance, economic growth and strategic information. She has been a committed, active champion of diversity, equity and inclusion in each of her previous roles and is fully dedicated to furthering Winrock’s efforts to build and maintain the most inclusive, diverse and equitable workplace environment and organization imaginable.
“I am incredibly honored to take on the CEO role at Winrock and build upon the rich history of the organization to support and partner with communities around the world,” Maqsodi said. “I am eager to lead this incredible team as we continue to drive innovative, locally driven solutions for a sustainable future that advances communities and transforms lives. The future is bright, and I look forward to leading our dedicated team toward new heights of success!”
During Maqsodi’s tenure as president and CEO of IntraHealth International, she developed a seven-year strategic plan focused on transforming the organization to align with localization, established regional hubs to support programming and growth, led the organization’s diversification strategy by successfully cultivating new partners, and significantly increased organizational visibility and outreach.
Her prior experience includes six years at Chemonics International, where she held leadership positions including senior operations director and acting senior vice president; she also served as project director in Afghanistan for the Trade and Revenue Project. Before her work with Chemonics, Maqsodi spent seven years at AECOM, serving in senior management and director positions, including with projects in Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. She has a bachelor’s degree in international studies from American University in Washington, D.C. She speaks Spanish, Dari, Hindi, and is proficient in Sinhala.
The Winrock board expressed its profound thanks to Joyjit Deb Roy for his very effective stewardship of Winrock as acting president and CEO, as well as to the entire leadership team for providing stability during this transition. The board also expressed its deep gratitude to Winrock’s staff, many of whom provided insightful and constructive feedback during the CEO recruiting process.