Teresa Clarke, Chair and CEO of Africa.com, to Receive South Africa’s Order of the Companions of O.R. Tambo

Award presented by South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa honors Clarke’s contributions to media, human rights, education, and the arts

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, 18 May 2026-/African Media Agency(AMA)/-Africa.com announces that its Chair and Executive Editor, Teresa Clarke, will receive the Order of the Companions of O.R. Tambo, Silver, from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at an official ceremony in Pretoria this week.
One of South Africa’s highest national honors, the Order of the Companions of O.R. Tambo is conferred upon foreign nationals who have made exceptional contributions to the country and to the cause of freedom, democracy, justice, and human dignity. Past American recipients include Martin Luther King Jr., Edward Kennedy, Harry Belafonte, Jesse Jackson, and Randall Robinson, among others. The official citation recognizes Clarke’s sustained contributions across four domains of national consequence: education, media, access to justice, and the arts, reflecting a life’s work recognized by the Republic of South Africa.

Education: As founder of the Student Sponsorship Programme of South Africa (SSP), Clarke has championed investment in scholarships, schools, and access to quality education for high performing South African students, transforming generations of young people into impactful leaders across sectors

Media: As Chair and CEO of Africa.com, Clarke has built one of Africa’s leading digital media platforms, connecting investors, policymakers, business leaders, and global audiences with credible analysis and informed perspectives on the continent’s economic and cultural transformation. Through journalism, livestream convenings, and strategic partnerships, Africa.com has worked to elevate African voices and reshape the global narrative about Africa.

Access to Justice: As Chair of Friends of the Legal Resources Centre (LRC), Clarke has been a steadfast supporter of public-interest litigation, legal aid, and constitutional advocacy — work that upholds the rights and dignity of South Africa’s most vulnerable communities.

The Arts: As Chair of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, the largest African art museum in the world, Clarke has been a devoted patron of African artists, residencies, and cultural institutions, advancing African creative expression and cultural heritage across disciplines and borders.

“To receive this recognition from South Africa is an honor I hold deeply,” said Teresa Clarke. “This country has shaped so much of my life and my life’s work. I share this award with the remarkable people and organizations with whom I have worked for nearly three decades, especially the Student Sponsorship Programme, whose students and alumni remind me every day why this work matters.”

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Africa.com

About Africa.com
Africa.com is a leading digital media platform delivering thought leadership and insight on Africa’s business, innovation, and culture through its websites, newsletters, and online events, reaching a global audience of professionals, business leaders, and policymakers.

About Teresa H. Clarke
Teresa H. Clarke manages a portfolio of business and philanthropic activities.

A retired managing director in investment banking at Goldman Sachs & Co., she serves on the boards of two Fortune 500 companies: American Tower and Gallagher. She chairs and serves as executive editor of Africa.com, a leading, digital media platform dedicated to Africa’s business, innovation, and culture.
She is the Chair of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, Chair of the Friends of the Legal Resources Centre of South Africa, and Founder and U.S. Chair of the Student Sponsorship Programme of South Africa, which has developed over 1,500 high performing high school students into impactful leaders across sectors.

She earned an A.B. in Economics, cum laude, from Harvard College, an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

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