IIRR Announces New Trustee Leadership
Retired Cleary Gottlieb Partner named Chair

(New York – June 27, 2007) IIRR announced today the election of a new Chair and a new member of its Board of Trustees. Anthony C. Gooch, a retired partner of the law firm Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, will take over as Chair. Cleary Gottlieb has acted as pro bono counsel to IIRR for nearly 50 years, with firm attorneys serving at various times on the Board of Trustees and in other advisory roles. Gooch, who served as the Institute’s General Counsel from 2000 through 2002 and who has been a member of its Board since that time, replaces Dr. Michael Gerber, who has led the Board as Chair for the past five years.

“I am delighted that someone with Tony Gooch’s dedication, commitment, energy, and knowledge of IIRR is taking over as Chair. Over the past few years, no Trustee has done more than Tony to enhance the growth of the Institute’s programs and resources. I am convinced that during his tenure IIRR will continue to move from strength to strength,” said Gerber. Gerber is stepping down after guiding the organization through a successful presidential transition and programmatic planning for the 2006-2010 period. Of his experience with IIRR, he said, “One may officially retire from the Institute but what IIRR stands for remains an integral part of one’s beliefs for life.”

“IIRR has played a tremendous role in helping the poor throughout the world to overcome poverty and achieve dignity,” said Mr. Gooch. “I feel very fortunate to have this opportunity to remain active in the service of an institution with a mission that I believe in so strongly.”

Founded in 1946 by lawyers committed to legal excellence, internationalism and diversity, Cleary Gottlieb is a leading international law firm with approximately 950 lawyers based in New York, Washington, D.C., Paris, Brussels, London, Moscow, Frankfurt, Cologne, Rome, Milan, Hong Kong and Beijing. Gooch’s practice at Cleary Gottlieb included international debt and equity issues, derivative products, bank lending, project finance and sovereign debt restructuring. He holds LL.B. and LL.M. degrees from New York University’s School of Law, where he was Articles Editor of the Law Review, as well as a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, where he concentrated in economic and political development. He received his B.A. degree, summa cum laude, from Sewanee: The University of the South, where he serves on the Board of Trustees.

In addition to a new board Chair, a new member of the Board has been elected. He is former Senator Wigberto (“Bobby”) Tañada, Chair of the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM), a long-time heritage partner of IIRR in the Philippines. Sen. Tañada served in the Philippine Senate and House of Representatives for a total of 15 years before retiring from politics to devote his time to rural development. As the former President of PRRM, he has been deeply concerned with poverty alleviation and improving livelihoods among the rural poor and their communities. Sen. Tañada holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the Manuel L. Quezon University and a Master of Laws degree from Harvard University.

Full Press Release from IIRR/CGSH (PDF file; 261 KB) 

Posted on: July 2007