NGO Soul + Strategy 096: Leading Change at Scale: Oxfam International’s Journey with Amitabh Behar
Summary
In this final episode of NGO Soul + Strategy, Tosca Bruno-van Vijfeijken sits down with Amitabh Behar, Executive Director of Oxfam International—one of the most recognized and influential global NGOs. Together, they explore what it means to lead transformative change inside a large, complex confederation while navigating a shifting political, economic, and cultural landscape.
Their conversation spans Oxfam’s ongoing change journey, its efforts to become a truly global organization rooted in legitimacy and equity, and the leadership lessons Amitabh has learned along the way. This episode is a fitting finale to the podcast—bringing together the themes of leadership, legitimacy, and adaptation that have defined Tosca’s work and this show.
Amitabh Bio
- Executive Director of Oxfam International
- Former CEO of Oxfam India
- Former Executive Director of the National Foundation for India
- Former Executive Director of the National Center for Advocacy Studies
We Discuss
- Oxfam’s decades-long transformation journey and its confederated model of global affiliates
- The rewards and tradeoffs of shifting decision-making power to the Global South
- The political dimensions of leading large-scale organizational change
- Balancing legitimacy, agility, and complexity in global NGOs
- The use (and risks) of academic or ideological language in public communication
- The critical question: should global NGOs narrow their roles for sharper impact?
- Amitabh’s reflections on AI, digital rights, and Oxfam’s 2030 strategy
- Leadership lessons for navigating power, resistance, and renewal
Quotes
“The world still needs Oxfam—with its courage to question power, and its willingness to transform itself.”
“Leadership is not just about holding power; it’s about sharing it, even when it feels uncomfortable.”
Resources