Melchior Lengsfeld

Melchior Lengsfeld is the Executive Director of Helvetas, an independent Swiss organization for development cooperation and humanitarian response. He has held this role since 2005. Lengsfeld is also the Chairperson of the Helvetas USA Board of Directors. He is a Member of the Executive Board of Alliance2015, a strategic partnership of eight European non-governmental organizations engaged in humanitarian work and international development. Lengsfeld also serves on the board of Alliance Sud, the Swiss Alliance of Development Organizations, and is a member of the Foundation Board and the Executive Committee of Swiss Solidarity. Furthermore, he served on the Swiss and the International Board of the Fairtrade movement. In past roles, Lengsfeld worked in field positions in India, Mozambique and Mali. He holds a MAS in Development and Cooperation (MAS) from ETH Zurich as well as a M.A. in sociology, development economics and political philosophy. Lengsfeld lives in Zurich with his wife and four children.