American Express Leadership Academy awards Executive Director of ECPAT Sweden, Mr. Anders L. Pettersson its first American Express Leadership Academy Award

The Executive Director of ECPAT Sweden, Mr. Anders L. Pettersson is awarded the American Express Leadership Academy Award. Anders receives the award in New York on March 23 during the American Express Leadership Academy Alumni Summit, whose global network nominated and selected him for this award.

The American Express Leadership Academy was founded in 2008 in collaboration with Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) and today consists of ten nonprofit organizations who combined trains and educates more than 600 leaders every year. The academy aims to develop the future leaders’ personal and professional skills and competencies to successfully manage a nonprofit organization. In addition to CCL, the Academy now consists of partners including ASU Lodestar Center, Ashoka Changemakers, Aspen Institute, Community Foundation of Broward County, Thunderbird School of Global Management, Common Purpose, Japan Philanthropic Association, and Entrepreneurial Training for Innovative Community and Points of Light.

“We’re proud to announce the first ever American Express Leadership Academy Award to a world class leader, like Anders Pettersson. Our Alumni are tackling some of society’s most complex issues and it’s important they be acknowledged,” said Timothy J. McClimon, president, American Express Foundation. “We believe the American Express Leadership Academy and Alumni Network can help create a global platform for nonprofit leaders to train and grow on their journey serving the communities in which we all live and work.”

Anders L. Pettersson has worked internationally in the non-profit sector most of his life. Prior to heading ECPAT Sweden, he has served with UNICEF, Swedish international development cooperation agency and did three tours in the mid-90s with UN- and NATO-forces in Lebanon, Croatia and Bosnia. In 2011, Anders excelled at Thunderbird School of Global Management and was nominated to a fellowship at Aspen Institute in 2012.

”ECPATs mission is to end sexual exploitation of children. It's a long-term commitment where success requires knowledge and know-how. Regardless if we work with private sector, law-makers, or law enforcement, we advocate for better knowledge in society about sexual exploitation of children. ECPAT is in the forefront in this field and the academy has really challenged me to take the fight to the next level. The inspiration that comes from these great programs has been a tremendous inspiration for me in forging a vision and strategy. I'm extremely humbled given the great numbers of talents that the academy attracts”, Anders L. Pettersson said.

For more information, please contact: Thomas Andersson, Press secretary at ECPAT Sverige, +46 723-895641 thomas.andersson@ecpat.se