Sir Ketumile Masire is a Batswana politician, who served as Botwana’s second president for 18 years until his resignation in 1998. He was a prominent player in Botswana’s transition to independence and a leading figure in the establishment of the Botswana Democratic Party, the party he led as president.

During his period in office, Sir Masire was a vocal opponent of apartheid in South Africa and has been involved more recently in diplomatic initiatives in a number of African countries including Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia and Lesotho. He has played a crucial role in Botswana’s economic and social development, shifting the country away from its economic dependence on South Africa and helping to create domestic industries and make Botswana a place of choice for foreign investors.

In 2007, Sir Masire set up the Sir Ketumile Masire Foundation to promote the social and economic wellbeing of the society of Botswana. The Foundation strives to facilitate and drive efforts to promote peace, good governance and political stability internationally, to assist children living with life-long disabilities, and to promote innovation in agriculture.