Global Child Forum
Announces New Secretary General, Ekin Ergün Björstedt

The Board of Directors of Global Child Forum is pleased to announce the appointment of Ekin Ergün Björstedt as the new Secretary General, effective August 2024.  Ekin joins us from Save the Children Sweden, where she held the position of Chief Development Officer and Director of Funding, Partnerships, and New Business Models.

Ekin Björstedt brings a wealth of experience developing businesses and fostering long-term partnerships between the private and public sectors. Her career includes impactful roles such as Head of External Relations at Stockholm University, Project Director of Sustainability at TeliaSonera, and she also served as Sweden’s Trade Commissioner to Turkey. At Save the Children, she spearheaded innovative funding streams, demonstrating her adeptness in leading change management processes. She also holds an MBA from Stockholm University and is Chairwoman of the Centre for Child Rights and Business and a Deputy Board Member of Ethical Trade Initiative among other appointments.

Annette Brodin Rampe, Chair of the Board, welcomed the appointment, stating, “We are delighted that Ekin will be joining Global Child Forum. Her extensive experience and strong leadership in strategic partnerships and sustainability initiatives position her perfectly to lead us into a new era of growth.”

Ekin Björstedt also shared her vision for the future: “I am deeply honoured to lead Global Child Forum at this pivotal moment. As children’s rights face unprecedented challenges worldwide, the corporate sector’s role as a catalyst for positive change is more critical than ever. I am committed to building on the strong foundation established by my predecessors, amplifying our impact, and driving companies to prioritise a child-first approach in their operations and strategies.”

Ekin Björstedt will take over from Katarina Mellström, who has been the interim Secretary General of Global Child Forum since 2022. The board would like to thank Katarina for her valuable contribution to the organisation’s ongoing operations. With her drive and vision for the organisation, Katarina helped to strengthen our partnerships and ensure that children’s rights are on the sustainability agenda.

For further information, please contact:

Linda Ravin Lodding

Head of Communications

+46 72 387 0248

Founded in 2009 by the Swedish Royal Family, Global Child Forum is a leading forum for children’s rights and business dedicated to innovative thinking, knowledge-sharing and networking. Global Child Forum believes in the power and responsibility of business, working in partnership with all parts of society, to create a prosperous, sustainable and just society for the world’s children. In addition to forums, Global Child Forum delivers research perspectives, best practices and risk assessment tools designed to unlock opportunities for business to integrate children’s rights into their operations and communities. For more information, please visit: www.globalchildforum.org.