Teresa Clarke
Encyclopedia
Teresa Hillary Clarke, daughter of Audrey M. Clarke of Los Angeles, is a prominent African American businesswoman, entrepreneur and investment banker. She has a lucrative career and extensive experience in financial management and international business. Growing up in California, Teresa H. Clarke comes from a line of prominent women being her mother and grandmother civil rights pioneers before the civil rights era.
Ms. Clarke has a bachelor’s degree in economics, cum laude, from Harvard College
(1980–1984), an MBA from Harvard Business School
(1986–1988) and a law degree from Harvard Law School
(1984–1987). Ms. Clarke is fluent in Spanish, French and Portuguese, and is a Term member of the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations
.
Currently Ms. Clarke serves as Chief Financial Advisor and a Member of Advisory Board of Plebys International LLC, a company dedicated to address the problems of poverty that persist worldwide through innovative technologies and business plans. Besides being a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, she is a board member of Southern Africa Legal Services (Legal Resources Centre) in Johannesburg, of the Tony Elumelu Foundation in Nigeria, and of the Opportunity Agenda in New York.
. in New York as associate. Later she worked in the investment banking division for six years before leaving to found and serve as Managing Director of the South African office of ABT Associates, the Cambridge (Mass.) public-policy & management-consulting firm. Her clients in South Africa included companies such as Transnet
(holding company of South African Airways
), Johnson & Johnson
, and institutions involved in the coordination of the education and public health development sectors.
Teresa Clarke lived in South Africa from 1995 to 2000. During her time in South Africa, Ms. Clarke also taught corporate finance in the MBA program at Wits Business School.
In 1999 she co-founded Student Sponsorship Programme South Africa
with Nyagaka Ongeri and Gerri Engelman. SSP ZA
provides academically talented but economically disadvantaged South African students with scholarships and support to attend private schools. The non-profit trust program based in Johannesburg has provided more than $10 million in scholarships to more than 600 children. Some 90 percent of the students complete the program. About 90 percent of SSP’s graduates qualify to attend university. For her work with SSP ZA, Ms. Clarke has been recognized by the South African government.
From 2004 to 2010, Ms. Clarke returned to Goldman Sachs. Her first contribution was to play a key role in launching the firm's Global Markets Institute. She later moved back into the investment banking division where she led mergers and acquisitions, and corporate finance transactions for Fortune 500 companies in the US and Europe. She was also the manager of the GS Africa Aspen Program, a leadership development project for emerging public- and private-sector African leaders created in cooperation with the Aspen Institute
.
. She re-launched Africa.com in February 2010, her goals for Africa.com were to change the way the world engages online with Africa and to be the platform for those changes.
“I’ve owned the Africa.com domain name for around 10 years. In 2000, I was hired to help the firm that owned the domain name figure out what to do with it. When that organization disbanded, I was fortunate enough to secure the ownership of the domain name. “Over most of the last decade, I worked at Goldman Sachs. During my free time, I imagined what I would do with the domain name and I looked at other African websites.”
“I love working for Africa.com because our work is so broad. We are embarking upon a deal that will provide our users information on the financial markets in Africa and we recently published a blog on developments in public education in South Africa. I work with a great team of people that I have hand chosen, and I couldn’t be any happier,” she said in an interview.
A popular and dynamic speaker, Clarke has been featured as an Africa expert at the World Economic Forum
in Africa and in India, the Milken Institute and the Fortune/Time/CNN Global Forum. In 2008, she received the Freedom Day Award from the South African Consulate.
On November 4, 2010 Teresa Clarke was a speaker at African Leadership Network's inaugural ceremony. This event is the equivalent of the World Economic Forum in Davos, but organized by and for Africans and people of African descent.
On November 7, 2010, Ms. Clarke was among the honorees being celebrated on Black Entertainment Television
’s (BET) event called BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™.
Ms. Clarke has a bachelor’s degree in economics, cum laude, from Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
(1980–1984), an MBA from Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...
(1986–1988) and a law degree from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
(1984–1987). Ms. Clarke is fluent in Spanish, French and Portuguese, and is a Term member of the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations
Council on Foreign Relations
The Council on Foreign Relations is an American nonprofit nonpartisan membership organization, publisher, and think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international affairs...
.
Currently Ms. Clarke serves as Chief Financial Advisor and a Member of Advisory Board of Plebys International LLC, a company dedicated to address the problems of poverty that persist worldwide through innovative technologies and business plans. Besides being a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, she is a board member of Southern Africa Legal Services (Legal Resources Centre) in Johannesburg, of the Tony Elumelu Foundation in Nigeria, and of the Opportunity Agenda in New York.
Background
In August 1989, Teresa Clarke joined the real-estate department at Goldman, Sachs & CoGoldman Sachs
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is an American multinational bulge bracket investment banking and securities firm that engages in global investment banking, securities, investment management, and other financial services primarily with institutional clients...
. in New York as associate. Later she worked in the investment banking division for six years before leaving to found and serve as Managing Director of the South African office of ABT Associates, the Cambridge (Mass.) public-policy & management-consulting firm. Her clients in South Africa included companies such as Transnet
Transnet
Transnet SOC Ltd is a large South African rail, port and pipeline company, headquartered in the Carlton Centre in Johannesburg. It was formed as a limited company on April 1, 1990. A majority of the company's stock is owned by the Department of Public Enterprises, or DPE, of the South African...
(holding company of South African Airways
South African Airways
South African Airways is the national flag carrier and largest airline of South Africa, with headquarters in Airways Park on the grounds of OR Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng. The airline flies to 36 destinations worldwide from its hub at OR Tambo International...
), Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson is an American multinational pharmaceutical, medical devices and consumer packaged goods manufacturer founded in 1886. Its common stock is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the company is listed among the Fortune 500....
, and institutions involved in the coordination of the education and public health development sectors.
Teresa Clarke lived in South Africa from 1995 to 2000. During her time in South Africa, Ms. Clarke also taught corporate finance in the MBA program at Wits Business School.
In 1999 she co-founded Student Sponsorship Programme South Africa
Student Sponsorship Programme South Africa
Student Sponsorship Programme South Africa ' is a non-profit trust based in Johannesburg, South Africa that enables academically distinguished, economically disadvantaged students to excel at some of the top private and public high schools in the Gauteng and Eastern Cape provinces.The SSP process...
with Nyagaka Ongeri and Gerri Engelman. SSP ZA
Student Sponsorship Programme South Africa
Student Sponsorship Programme South Africa ' is a non-profit trust based in Johannesburg, South Africa that enables academically distinguished, economically disadvantaged students to excel at some of the top private and public high schools in the Gauteng and Eastern Cape provinces.The SSP process...
provides academically talented but economically disadvantaged South African students with scholarships and support to attend private schools. The non-profit trust program based in Johannesburg has provided more than $10 million in scholarships to more than 600 children. Some 90 percent of the students complete the program. About 90 percent of SSP’s graduates qualify to attend university. For her work with SSP ZA, Ms. Clarke has been recognized by the South African government.
From 2004 to 2010, Ms. Clarke returned to Goldman Sachs. Her first contribution was to play a key role in launching the firm's Global Markets Institute. She later moved back into the investment banking division where she led mergers and acquisitions, and corporate finance transactions for Fortune 500 companies in the US and Europe. She was also the manager of the GS Africa Aspen Program, a leadership development project for emerging public- and private-sector African leaders created in cooperation with the Aspen Institute
Aspen Institute
The Aspen Institute is an international nonprofit organization founded in 1950 as the Aspen Institute of Humanistic Studies. The organization is dedicated to "fostering enlightened leadership, the appreciation of timeless ideas and values, and open-minded dialogue on contemporary issues." The...
.
Recent events
On February 12, 2010 Teresa Clarke ended a decade-long career at the investment banking firm to devote her full energies to Africa.comAfrica.com
Africa.com is an organization created to change the way the world sees Africa, using the ever growing use of internet. Using the online web portal about the continent, its main purpose is to be a unique platform for anyone interested in Africa to learn more about all aspects of the continent...
. She re-launched Africa.com in February 2010, her goals for Africa.com were to change the way the world engages online with Africa and to be the platform for those changes.
“I’ve owned the Africa.com domain name for around 10 years. In 2000, I was hired to help the firm that owned the domain name figure out what to do with it. When that organization disbanded, I was fortunate enough to secure the ownership of the domain name. “Over most of the last decade, I worked at Goldman Sachs. During my free time, I imagined what I would do with the domain name and I looked at other African websites.”
“I love working for Africa.com because our work is so broad. We are embarking upon a deal that will provide our users information on the financial markets in Africa and we recently published a blog on developments in public education in South Africa. I work with a great team of people that I have hand chosen, and I couldn’t be any happier,” she said in an interview.
A popular and dynamic speaker, Clarke has been featured as an Africa expert at the World Economic Forum
World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, a mountain resort in Graubünden, in the eastern Alps region of Switzerland....
in Africa and in India, the Milken Institute and the Fortune/Time/CNN Global Forum. In 2008, she received the Freedom Day Award from the South African Consulate.
On November 4, 2010 Teresa Clarke was a speaker at African Leadership Network's inaugural ceremony. This event is the equivalent of the World Economic Forum in Davos, but organized by and for Africans and people of African descent.
On November 7, 2010, Ms. Clarke was among the honorees being celebrated on Black Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television is an American, Viacom-owned cable network based in Washington, D.C.. Currently viewed in more than 90 million homes worldwide, it is the most prominent television network targeting young Black-American audiences. The network was launched on January 25, 1980, by its...
’s (BET) event called BLACK GIRLS ROCK!™.