The World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) has appointed Suzanne Blake as head of strategic partnerships and membership, strengthening its leadership team amid increasing regulatory, climate and market pressures across the global cocoa sector.
Based in Washington D.C., WCF said Blake will lead engagement with member companies and strategic partners, with responsibility for expanding the organisation’s membership base and strengthening collaboration across industry, NGOs, investors and landscape initiatives. Her role will focus on aligning stakeholders around sustainability priorities including climate resilience, farmer livelihoods and forest protection.
Blake brings more than 20 years’ experience across communications, sustainability strategy and climate finance. She has held senior leadership roles at publishing houses Macmillan and Phaidon, as well as global brand and sustainability agencies FutureBrand and SalterBaxter. Most recently, she worked at climate and nature advisory firm Pollination, where she led partnerships, marketing and industry engagement initiatives.
She also advises the Nature Positive Landscapes Initiative on communications and partnership strategy. Blake holds an MA in History from the University of Edinburgh and a certification in sustainable finance from the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.
Commenting on her appointment, Blake said: “Cocoa sits at the intersection of forest protection, farmer livelihoods and global supply chain resilience. At a time when expectations of the sector are rising, the opportunity is to turn shared ambition into practical, collective action. WCF has a unique convening role, and I look forward to working with members and partners to scale solutions that secure cocoa’s future.”
Dougal Freeman, WCF vice president of operations, added: “Suzanne brings a rare blend of strategic corporate affairs expertise, sustainability leadership and coalition-building experience. As the sector faces heightened scrutiny and opportunity, her ability to align diverse stakeholders around shared priorities will strengthen WCF’s capacity to accelerate impact.”
