National Treasurer accepts exciting new international role

The National Spiritual Assembly has indicated in a letter to the New Zealand Bahá'í community that Mr. Marc Rivers, who currently serves as the Treasurer of the National Spiritual Assembly, will be leaving New Zealand at the end of March to take up a position as the Chief Financial Officer of the International Committee of the Red Cross, and he will be based in Geneva, Switzerland.

5 February 2024

18 Sulṭán 180

 To the New Zealand Bahá'í community

Dear friends,

It is with very mixed feelings that we announce the imminent departure of our dear brother, Mr Marc Rivers, who currently serves as the Treasurer of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of New Zealand and will be leaving Aotearoa at the end of March 2024 to take up a fixed term position as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. Switzerland is Marc’s country of birth, so it is fitting that he has been appointed to this newly established role in the organisation – a position he did not seek, but was invited to consider, and which the National Assembly has agreed with him is too significant a role to decline. Established in February 1863, the International Committee of the Red Cross is the oldest and one of the most widely recognised and respected humanitarian organisations in the world, having won three Nobel Peace Prizes (in 1917, 1944, and 1963).

The National Spiritual Assembly expresses its heartfelt appreciation to dear Marc for the four years of dedicated service he has given to the National Spiritual Assembly, undertaking the role of Treasurer from the commencement of his term on this institution in April 2020. His quick wit, joyful demeanour, keen intellect, and thoughtful contributions will be greatly missed, and we wholeheartedly thank him for the steadfast service he contributed in so many ways. Marc has also been the Bahá'í representative on the New Zealand Religious Diversity Trust Board, a national interfaith organisation. Although Marc will be greatly missed, we take this opportunity to formally wish him every fulfilment and joy as his service to the world takes him in this new direction. Given the fixed term nature of the position and the family’s love for New Zealand, Marc intends to rejoin the family in Aotearoa at the end of the assignment.

Because of the proximity to the National Convention when the election of the National Spiritual Assembly will take place on Saturday 27 April 2024, there will be no by-election to replace Marc, and the National Assembly will function with eight members from 1 April until the election.

Ngā mihi nui,
National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of New Zealand