Darren Walker, president of Ford Foundation, will step down by the end of 2025

NEW YORK — If there are rock stars in philanthropy, Darren Walker, the president of the Ford Foundation, is one of them. Walker, 64, has been named one of Rolling Stone’s “25 People Shaping the Future” and Time’s “100 Most Influential People” as he led one of the original American philanthropies since 2013. A search committee has been convened to find Walker’s replacement, said Ford Foundation board chair Francisco Cigarroa. In describing his outlook, including in a 2021 interview with The Associated Press, Walker often referenced Dr. Martin Luther King, who he credited with saying, “philanthropy is commendable, but it should not allow the philanthropist to overlook the economic injustice that makes philanthropy necessary.” Latanya Mapp, president and CEO of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, called Walker an “icon’ and ”a beacon,” for how to lead authentically in the struggle for social justice in a changing world. Former President Barack Obama told The New York Times, which first reported Walker’s resignation, that Walker has, “devoted his career to social justice, human rights, and reducing inequality around the world — and he’s inspired countless organizations and individuals to do the same.” As the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic began to crystalize in 2020, Walker advocated that Ford leverage its endowment to issue a social bond, essentially taking out debt to increase its grantmaking.