Techfugees, the international nonprofit organization dedicated to leveraging technology to support refugees and those who have been displaced, has named tech leader Raj Burman as its new Chief Executive Officer. This appointment sees Burman taking over from Josephine Goube, who will transition into the role of Executive Director for the related Techfugees Charity, allowing her to focus on expanding the organization’s country-specific initiatives for refugee support.

Prior to this role, Burman served as an Ambassador for the UN Global Poverty Project, oversaw an accelerator program for the European Commission, and was a co-founder of a philanthropic initiative within WPP Group. He has also provided mentorship through TERN (The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network) and currently holds a position on the board of the Refugee Youth Service. Furthermore, Burman is recognized as a Fellow of the Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurship.

Burman’s arrival coincides with a period of growth for Techfugees’ global operations. The organization has recently established a three-year collaboration with Fondation L’Oréal, the philanthropic branch of L’Oréal, to enhance its #TF4Women program. This program aims to facilitate employment opportunities for refugee women within the technology sector and will be broadened to include Italy and Greece. In October, #TF4Women successfully connected over 60 recruiters with 16 refugee women presenting their skills in France, resulting in numerous successful job placements. Additionally, the Techfugees chapter in Kenya has recently created a mobile application designed to enhance the diagnosis and care of refugee patients in displacement camps.

Goube commented: “Raj’s distinctive background in the social enterprise field, combined with his business expertise, represents a significant asset to our developing organization… This marks a crucial stage in Techfugees’ evolution, as it has experienced substantial growth in the past year and observed a growing number of displaced individuals.”

Projections indicate that climate change-induced natural disasters will significantly increase the number of refugees and displaced people in the coming decade without substantial intervention. Currently, approximately 1% of the global population – 79.5 million people – are displaced, and most analysts believe this number is continuing to rise.

Established in 2015, Techfugees now operates in 10 countries, including Canada, Kenya, and Lebanon, and implements its projects, programs, and events across all five continents. To date, over 4,000 individuals have participated in Techfugees programs.