The Commonwealth Secretariat announces the appointment of His Excellency Prof Stephen Montefort, High Commissioner of Malta in the United Kingdom (UK), as new Chairperson of its Board of Governors.
Prof Montefort assumed the role as Chairperson on 1 July 2026 for a two-year term. He has been serving on the Board of Governors since taking office as Malta’s High Commissioner to the UK in January 2025.
All 56 Commonwealth member countries are represented on the Commonwealth Secretariat Board of Governors by their High Commissioners. The role of the Board of Governors is to approve the Secretariat’s strategic plans, work programmes and budgets.
Welcoming the appointment, Commonwealth Secretary-General, Hon Shirley Botchwey, said:
“I am delighted to announce that Prof Montefort has taken up the reigns as Chairperson of the Commonwealth Secretariat Board of Governors.
“He will play an important role as we continue to implement the Strategic Plan 2025-2030, and the Commonwealth reform agenda at this critical time of global disruption and stalling growth.
“He joins as Chairperson as we prepare for a defining and consequential Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda in November.”
His Excellency Rajendra Singh, High Commissioner of Guyana, assumed the role of Chairperson of the Executive Committee, also with effect from 1 July 2026.
The Chairperson of the Board of Governors and the representative of the Chair in Office of the Commonwealth also sit on the Executive Committee. The current Chair in Office is the Prime Minister of the Independent State of Samoa and will handover to Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, incoming Chair-in-Office at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in St John’s in November 2026.
The Executive Committee is a sub-committee of the Board of Governors that can make policy recommendations to the Board and oversees budgets and audit functions. The Executive Committee includes the eight largest contributors to the Secretariat’s total resources, with additional member countries from each region elected to serve two-year terms.
Learn more about our Board of Governors
Media contact
Suné Kitshoff
Senior Communications Officer
T: +44 7740 450 901 | Email our media contact Suné Kitshoff
