Ian H. Solomon is President and CEO of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, where he leads the foundation in advancing its work toward a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world. He previously served as Dean of the University of Virginia’s Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, where he led a multidisciplinary faculty of scholars and practitioners committed to creating new knowledge, developing ethical and effective leaders, and advancing solutions to humanity’s greatest policy challenges.

Trained as a lawyer, Ian is a devoted student and teacher of negotiation and conflict resolution. Throughout his career, he has dedicated himself to improving the lives of people across the globe by integrating insights from higher education, government, the private sector, and international organizations.

For four years, he served in the U.S. Senate as legislative counsel to then-Senator Barack Obama. Later, under the Obama administration, he was confirmed unanimously by Congress as the U.S. executive director for the World Bank Group, where he championed private-sector development in Africa and negotiated a range of multi-stakeholder agreements. Ian has also been a consultant with McKinsey & Company, an Associate Dean and visiting lecturer at Yale Law School, and a vice president and lecturer in law at the University of Chicago. Before joining the Batten School, he led his own international consulting practice focused on conflict and collaboration.

Ian also serves on the Board of Directors of the Henry Luce Foundation. Originally from New York City, he earned his AB from Harvard University and his JD from Yale Law School. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and has traveled and worked extensively in Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America.

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