John Hope Bryant

John Hope Bryant is a philanthropic entrepreneur and businessman, in the business of empowerment.

He is the founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Operation HOPE, America’s first non-profit social investment banking organization, now operating in 68 U.S. communities and South Africa, having raised more than $500 million from the private sector to empower the poor.

On January 22nd, 2008, Mr. Bryant was appointed Vice Chairman of the bi-partisan U.S. President’s Advisory Council on Financial Literacy.  Vice Chairman until January 2010, Mr. Bryant proudly serves during the historic presidency of the Honorable Barack Obama.  Mr. Bryant is also chairman of the Under-Served Committee for the U.S. President’s Council.  Seeing this crisis in global dimensions, Mr. Bryant serves as well on the Global Agenda Council for the World Economic Forum, as an advisor on financial literacy and empowerment.

Bryant is co-founder of Global Dignity (GD), along with Pekka Himanen and H.R.H. Crown Prince Haakon. GD has conducted Dignity Day teaching sessions with youth and leaders all over the world, including Turkey, India, South Africa and Amman, Jordan.  He was recently chosen to speak at the closing session for the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, joining GD co-founders, WEF Founder Professor Klaus Schwab, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, on the subject of “dignity for all.”