Fanta Toure as the inaugural Chief Executive Officer of the Resilio Fund.
Legatum has announced the appointment of Fanta Toure as the inaugural Chief Executive Officer of the Resilio Fund, its newest philanthropic venture dedicated to transforming crisis relief through community-led response.
Toure will formally assume her position on October 1, 2025.
Born and raised in Côte d’Ivoire, Toure brings both professional experience and personal grounding to her new role.
Early in her career, she worked at the grassroots level in humanitarian relief, experiences that shaped her strong belief in the power and agency of local communities.
She currently serves as Director of the Girls First Fund, a collaborative initiative supporting community-led efforts to end child marriage.
Announcing her appointment, Guy Cave, President of the Legatum Foundation, said:
“I am absolutely delighted that Fanta has agreed to join this important mission and lead the Resilio Fund. She has the perfect blend of experience and qualities to help us meet the challenge of transforming the delivery of humanitarian crisis relief. We can’t wait to start working with her.”
The Resilio Fund was launched earlier this year with over US$30 million in initial commitments, including $10 million from founding donor Legatum.
Additional anchor donors include the Vitol Foundation, UBS Optimus Foundation, and the Irene M. Staehelin Foundation.
The fund represents a new approach to humanitarian aid, moving away from rigid, top-down programmes and instead resourcing those closest to crises.
At its core, Resilio champions survivor- and community-led crisis response (SCLR).
This model supports local organisations that distribute flexible, trust-based micro-grants to hyper-local community groups already responding to emergencies.
Evidence from pilots in countries including Myanmar, Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, and the Philippines suggests the approach is not only faster and more efficient but also more respectful of people’s dignity and agency.
Toure’s professional and academic background reflects her commitment to global justice and local empowerment.
She holds a Master’s in International Affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and a BA in International and Public Relations from the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater.
She also serves on the boards of ADESO and The Share Trust, organisations known for championing community-driven solutions in humanitarian contexts.
Responding to her appointment, Toure said:
“The launch of the Resilio Fund is a bold move to change the game — not just fund humanitarian relief programmes but reshape the way the humanitarian sector operates. Legatum’s model of collaborative investment in local NGOs and hyper-local groups has already delivered transformative results in health, education, and anti-slavery through the END, Luminos, and Freedom Funds. I’m excited to have the opportunity to lead a new coalition of donors and frontline organisations, embracing this model of partnership, as we apply it to crisis relief and recovery.”
Although the Resilio Fund is focused on crisis relief, it reflects a broader trend in philanthropy: the growing recognition of flexible, trust-based giving as a powerful tool for impact.
While operating in education rather than humanitarian relief, it similarly relies on unrestricted contributions to bridge funding gaps and enhance programmes beyond what tuition alone can provide.
Both highlight how empowering institutions and communities with flexible funding can drive more effective results.
With strong early backing and Toure’s appointment as CEO, the Resilio Fund is positioning itself not just as another humanitarian initiative, but as part of a wider movement to change how the world responds to crisis.
For more information, visit www.resiliofund.org.
About Legatum
Legatum is a private investment group and philanthropic foundation founded in 2006 and headquartered in Dubai.
It combines commercial investment with strategic philanthropy, channeling resources into projects that advance global prosperity.
The foundation is best known for the Legatum Prosperity Index, which benchmarks prosperity across more than 160 countries.
Beyond research, Legatum funds initiatives in health, education, entrepreneurship, and human dignity, with a strong focus on Africa and South Asia.
Its work includes supporting malaria elimination in Southern Africa, advancing educational opportunities, and strengthening civil society in fragile contexts.
