Eddie Ndopu

Described by TIME as "one of the most powerful disabled people on the planet," Eddie Ndopu is widely recognized for his dedicated human rights advocacy, particularly in advancing disability justice as a prominent focus within the international development agenda.

In his impactful role as one of the UN Secretary-General's 17 official advocates for the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals, Ndopu collaborates closely with world leaders like Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada and Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados to champion climate justice, combat global poverty, and strive for equity on behalf of the world's most marginalized communities. He is also the founder of "A Billion Reasons," a social impact incubator in partnership with the World Economic Forum, aimed at addressing these critical issues.

Throughout his distinguished career spanning over a decade, Ndopu has earned numerous prestigious awards, including the David Rockefeller Bridging Leadership Award and the UN's Global Partnership Award, jointly presented by the Republic of South Africa and the United Nations, in recognition of his contributions as a global humanitarian. Additionally, he was named TIME Magazine's Person of the Week and recognized as one of the "Top 30 Thinkers Under 30" by Pacific Standard.

Beyond his advocacy work, Ndopu actively serves on various global boards, holding positions such as a member of the board of directors of the United Nations Foundation and advisory roles for organizations like The Valuable 500, IMAGINE, and Verizon's Global Advisory Board for Accessibility and Disability Inclusion. He has also been involved in influential initiatives such as the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council for the New Agenda for Social Justice and the Partnering for Racial Justice in Business Initiative.

In addition to his impressive accomplishments, Ndopu released his debut memoir titled "Sipping Dom Pérignon Through a Straw" in 2023, named one of Amazon’s and Apple's best books of the year. This memoir chronicles his transformative experiences as a disabled student attending Oxford University.