At the historic University of Cambridge, Lucy Cavendish College has bestowed one of its most prestigious distinctions — an Honorary Fellowship — on Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization. The honour, shared alongside Alec Russell, Foreign Editor of the Financial Times, places her among a select circle of global leaders, thinkers, and visionaries celebrated by the College.
The Honorary Fellowship of Lucy Cavendish College is not lightly conferred. It is reserved for individuals of exceptional influence and integrity whose achievements embody the College’s values of leadership, resilience, and inclusivity. Past Honorary Fellows include luminaries such as Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, Dame Judi Dench, and Queen Margrethe II of Denmark — figures who have left indelible marks on public life, the arts, and human rights. By welcoming Dr. Okonjo-Iweala into this fellowship, the College affirms her enduring legacy as one of the world’s most transformative leaders.
Dr. Okonjo-Iweala’s journey is the story of perseverance and impact on a truly global scale. When she took office as Director-General of the WTO in March 2021, she became both the first woman and the first African to lead the organization. But her groundbreaking leadership did not begin there. Twice Nigeria’s Finance Minister, she steered the nation through complex reforms, championing transparency, stabilizing the economy, and securing the historic cancellation of $18 billion of debt by the Paris Club of Creditors.
Her 25-year career at the World Bank further cemented her reputation as a global finance expert and trusted consensus builder. Rising to Managing Director, Operations, she oversaw an $81 billion portfolio and led initiatives to improve the lives of low-income countries. For her work, she has consistently been named among Forbes’ 100 Most Powerful Women in the World.
Lucy Cavendish College, with its tradition of supporting non-traditional students and widening access to education, has long celebrated role models who inspire courage and ambition. In Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, the College finds a Fellow whose life story speaks to those very values — a leader who has broken barriers, challenged conventions, and dedicated her career to making the world more equitable.
Her Honorary Fellowship is not just a recognition of past achievements but a celebration of the hope she inspires in future generations: that excellence knows no borders, and leadership has no limits.
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