About us

Chair of the Foundation Board and CEO, Euroclear Group

With over 30 years of experience in financial services, Valerie has held key leadership roles including CEO of Euroclear Bank and the ESES CSDs. Named Global Custodian’s Industry Person of the Year in 2024, she also serves on the Board of Junior Achievement Europe, supporting youth and education.

Foundation Board Member and Chairman, Euroclear Group

With over 40 years in global finance, including CEO of Citi Holdings and Citi Transaction Services. Now Chairman of Euroclear, Francesco serves on philanthropic boards including Junior Achievement Worldwide, The Felix Project, and United Way. He was awarded the title Cavaliere della Repubblica Italiana (Knight of the Italian Republic) for his distinguished service to philanthropy and society.

Foundation Board Member and Independent Non-Executive Director, Euroclear

Eilís is a Professor of Law at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of the British Academy. She advises UK and EU financial bodies and chairs the Gates Cambridge Trust, bringing academic insight and governance expertise to the Foundation.

Foundation Board Member and Chief People & Communications Officer, Euroclear

Daniel leads global strategy on people, culture and communications. With a background in law and HR leadership at Johnson & Johnson and Pitney Bowes, he supports youth entrepreneurship through Vlajo and teaches at Solvay Business School.

Foundation Board Member and Head of Enterprise Risk Management, Euroclear SA/NV

Barbra has over 20 years of experience in financial services, leading teams across operations, strategy and risk. A long-time advocate for social impact, she led Euroclear’s Belgian Charity Committee and brings a values-driven approach to building sustainable, community-focused change.

Foundation Board Member

With over two decades of international leadership experience, Salvatore, CEO of JA Europe has held senior leadership roles at Education for Employment (EFE) and the Glocal Forum, working alongside international institutions including the World Bank, United Nations agencies, and various global corporations. His career combines expertise in education, entrepreneurship, technology, and philanthropy, bringing a strong commitment to creating opportunities for young people and driving positive social impact.

The Euroclear Foundation is led by Mei Li Powell, Chief Executive, who manages a dedicated team based in Brussels and London. Mei Li brings global experience from senior roles in both finance and the nonprofit sector, including Citi, Euroclear and The Borne Foundation. She serves as Board Member, Co-Vice Chair and Chair of the Finance and Risk Committee for the social enterprise Pilotlight in the UK, and is also a Non-Executive Director at Good Corporation, a consultancy advising on business ethics and corporate responsibility.

Director of Finance and Operations at the Euroclear Foundation

Talisha is leading the Foundation’s finance, operations and reporting, as well as its humanitarian aid and social innovation initiatives. Her global career has taken her through management consulting, large financial institutions, and fast‑moving fintech environments, giving her a rare blend of strategic vision and hands‑on execution to help organisations achieve meaningful, lasting impact. 

Director of Grants and Programmes at the Euroclear Foundation

Maria Jose (MJ) is originally from Argentina and trained as a lawyer, MJ has spent over 20 years in the UK helping businesses worldwide design and deliver impactful global social responsibility strategies. She brings extensive experience across both commercial and non-profit sectors, with expertise in social impact, systems thinking, employee engagement and cross-sector collaboration. Passionate about driving meaningful change, MJ works at the intersection of purpose and business, inspiring organisations to create positive impact at scale. 

Grants Manager at the Euroclear Foundation

Lisa brings a unique background to her role spanning legal consultancy and hands-on experience in the Belgian non-profit sector, giving her a holistic understanding of how strategy and strong partnerships deliver sustainable outcomes. Throughout her career, she has worked at the intersection of employability, mentoring and social impact, supporting individuals in overcoming barriers to employment and unlocking their full potential. In her role at the Euroclear Foundation, she helps identify, support and scale initiatives that create long-term positive change for underserved youth.