Three new global business leaders join the ‘B Team’

Muscat: The B Team announced on Tuesday that Oliver Bäte of the Allianz Group, Andrew Liveris of The Dow Chemical Company and Arif Naqvi of The Abraaj Group will join co-founders Richard Branson, Jochen Zeitz, and 18 other global leaders from business and civil society in their collective effort to redefine the role of business as a force for social, environmental and economic benefit.
The new leaders represent a range of geographies and sectors, enriching the diverse perspectives which help drive The B Team’s work.
Oliver Bäte is the CEO of the Allianz Group, one of the world’s largest insurance companies and asset managers, serving 85 million customers in more than 70 countries. He has been a vocal advocate on climate change and the need to manage associated risks as a central part of the business strategy.
Andrew Liveris is the Chairman and CEO of The Dow Chemical Company, a multinational corporation which, under his leadership has worked to combine the power of science and technology to help address many of the world's most challenging problems such as the need for clean water, clean energy generation and conservation, and increasing agricultural productivity.
Arif Naqvi is the Founder and Group Chief Executive of The Abraaj Group, a leading private equity investor operating in global growth markets. He is a member of the board of the UN Global Compact, the Interpol Foundation and the Business and Sustainable Development Commission.
“The addition of these purpose-driven and accomplished leaders adds invaluable depth of knowledge and fresh perspectives to our team,” Zeitz said. “We’re excited to work alongside them as we push toward a Plan B for business in which sustainable, resilient business models are the new global norm.”
All three leaders will join the Net Zero by 2050 initiative, which seeks to fight climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and to preserve land and ocean resources by measuring business impacts and dependencies on natural capital. Bäte and Liveris were among 79 prominent CEOs who signed an open letter released before last year’s Paris climate conference that called for world leaders to pursue “a low-carbon, sustainable future while keeping the rise in global temperature to under 2 degrees Celsius.”
Bäte and Naqvi will also work on the 100 per cent Human at Work initiative, which seeks to inspire a movement of business leaders who will lead their businesses through the principles of equality, respect, growth, belonging and purpose. Naqvi will also participate in initiatives which address The B Team Challenges of ‘Fostering Collaboration’ and ‘Creating thriving communities,' which seek to create dialogue and build open and engaged communities through a multi-stakeholder process.
Liveris will also work on the team’s Governance & Transparency initiative, which focuses on fighting corruption by ending anonymous companies, and seeks to create and maintain environments in which governments and companies are responsive and accountable to informed, empowered citizens.
“Both Allianz and I personally have long been committed to managing the risks of climate change and advancing equality and social inclusion, and I am delighted to be able to contribute our expertise to The B Team’s initiatives,” said Oliver Bäte. “Business has an important role to play alongside other actors in devising innovative solutions to urgent problems, and I’m happy to join The B Team in its efforts to bring these topics to the forefront of the business agenda.”
“The multi-stakeholder world is here to stay. Business, civil society and government must collaborate for better policies and smarter solutions to the challenges we face, and to build a more prosperous, inclusive society,” said Andrew Liveris. “The B Team is leading with this approach, so I am pleased to join them and create a more sustainable model for business.”
“Business cannot succeed in societies that fail. Being part of The B Team enables us to amplify our collective efforts in building sustainable businesses and communities that ensure dignity, respect and fair values,” said Arif Naqvi. “I look forward to collaborating with like-minded leaders at The B Team to demonstrate how long-term business success can be aligned with the interests of the communities and stakeholders we serve.”