Fabian Koss

Professor Fabian Koss is a Trustee at The Garibay Institute for Soft Power and Public Diplomacy. He is the Co-Founder of KC Social Impact Lab, a consultancy specializing in social responsibility strategy and global media development for social impact. The firm advises public, private, and governmental organizations seeking to make strategic, large-scale investments that address global social issues. Notable clients include UNICEF, CONCACAF, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), One Sight, and the Conrad Foundation.

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He also serves as an Adjunct Professor at the American University Kogod School of Business, where he teaches courses on Sustainability and Global Strategy.

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With over 24 years of experience at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Mr. Koss held senior positions as a specialist and team leader, managing the IDB's Community Relations and Latin America Outreach Programs. He was instrumental in founding the Inter-American Working Group on Youth Development, a consortium of international agencies that increased resource support and promoted effective youth development programs across the Western Hemisphere.

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Mr. Koss led and developed numerous programs and international partnerships with both the public and private sectors. He was pivotal in creating the alliance that united CDI Brazil, Microsoft, and StarMedia with the IDB to launch the CDI Americas Initiative, aimed at bridging the "digital divide" in Latin America. He facilitated awareness-building campaigns with major international media networks to promote the active participation of young people in development processes. Notably, he forged the IDB's partnerships with National Geographic, Sesame Workshop, Viacom International, and MTV Latin America. The strategic alliance with MTV produced award-winning projects that highlighted youth as integral to solutions addressing community challenges.

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As the spearhead of the IDB's Sports for Development Initiative, Mr. Koss utilized the power of sports to help youth access social and economic advancement opportunities. The initiative focused on youth development, health and wellness, social inclusion, and violence prevention. Under his leadership, partnerships were established with governments and organizations such as Coca-Cola, FIFA, NBA, NFL, the Nike Foundation, the United Nations, USAID, FC Barcelona, Gatorade, and Real Madrid.

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In recognition of his contributions, Mr. Koss received the United Nations World Youth Award in 2000 for his leadership in implementing the UN World Program of Action for Youth.

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In 1999, he founded the Many Hats Institute (MHI), an international organization dedicated to improving conditions for children worldwide. Supported by a network of renowned professionals from diverse backgrounds, MHI raises funds and provides assistance to promote community development and engage young leaders as resources for their communities. Initiatives have included a Plácido Domingo concert to raise funds for earthquake victims in El Salvador. MHI has collaborated with organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund, The Nature Conservancy, Harvard Business School, Mastercard, AOL, UBS, PepsiCo, and ABC, leveraging the time, talent, and resources of "many hatters" globally.

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Mr. Koss serves on several charitable boards, including America Scores, Company E, the Canales Project, Sports for Sharing, Medora Ventures, and Reach Your Peak. He has been a speaker at numerous World Economic Forum events, Clinton Global Initiative annual meetings, and United Nations ministerial sessions.

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Born in Argentina, Mr. Koss holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Affairs from American University and a graduate certificate in Public Relations from New York University.