Deirdre White-Empowering Emerging Markets for Sustainability on Uncommon Giving

CDC Development Solutions (CDS) leverages public, private and volunteer resources to strengthen SMEs and the institutions, governments, and industries that drive economic growth in emerging markets. For over two decades, CDS, a non-profit, non-governmental organization, has provided innovative, market-driven solutions utilizing a variety of methodologies to create sustainable economic development in over 80 countries on 5 continents.

Deirdre White is an internationally recognized leader in economic development and the national movement of International Corporate Volunteerism.  Through her work at CDC Development Solutions, she builds win-win partnerships that bridge gaps between the public and private sectors.

Under Deirdre’s leadership, CDC Development Solutions also works in partnership with major extractive firms such as Chevron, ExxonMobil, and BP to ensure better participation of local residents in the extractive economy.  By building the capacity of local suppliers to contract with these larger firms, CDC Development Solutions’ programs contribute to the creation of thousands of jobs, while improving the extractive sector’s ability to procure goods and services locally.

CDS website: http://www.cdcdevelopmentsolutions.org/