Belfer Center Names Laurence D. Belfer and Scott A. Nathan as Co-Chairs of the International Council

Cambridge, MA — September 26, 2025 — The Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard Kennedy School is proud to announce that Laurence D. Belfer and Scott A. Nathan have been appointed Co-Chairs of the Center’s International Council, a distinguished group of leaders who provide counsel and support to advance the Center’s mission.

The International Council strengthens the Belfer Center by bringing diverse perspectives from accomplished leaders into our community. Their engagement ensures the Center’s work remains connected to the broader world and focused on the challenges ahead. The appointments of Belfer and Nathan underscore a commitment to positioning the Council—and the Center as a whole—for the future.

“The Belfer Center will benefit immensely from the leadership of Laurence Belfer and Scott Nathan,” said Meghan L. O’Sullivan, Director of the Belfer Center. “They bring unique experiences and insights that will help guide us as we navigate a turbulent international landscape. Laurence’s leadership on the boards of major institutions and his deep commitment to public service, together with Scott’s exceptional experience at the intersection of finance and diplomacy, will provide invaluable perspective. I am profoundly grateful for their willingness to step into these roles, and I look forward to working closely with them as we chart the Belfer Center’s next chapter.”

Both Harvard alumni, Belfer and Nathan bring exceptional experience and deep ties to the University. Laurence Belfer is CEO of Belfer Management LLC and has built a career at the intersection of energy, investment, and philanthropy. He has held senior roles across multiple sectors and serves on the boards of several leading nonprofit organizations, including 92NY, #GivingTuesday, and Weill Cornell Medicine. At Harvard, he serves as Chair Emeritus of the Kennedy School’s Dean’s Council and has been deeply engaged in the life of the Belfer Center. The unprecedented support of the Belfer family over the past three decades has helped define and sustain the Belfer Center, enabling it to become a global leader in advancing policy-relevant scholarship and training the next generation of leaders at the intersection of science and international affairs. His new role as Co-Chair represents the latest chapter in his enduring commitment to bring wise counsel and strategic creativity to the Center and the school.

Scott Nathan is the founder of Atlantic Neptune, the entity through which he conducts his investment and philanthropic activities. Until January 2025, he served as Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), where under his leadership the agency approved more than $30 billion in new investments that advanced U.S. development and national security goals. His career has spanned senior roles in the White House, the State Department, and nearly two decades at The Baupost Group, where he was a partner and the chief risk officer. Among many non-profit roles, he is also a former member of the Belfer Center International Council. Nathan’s experience in both the private sector and public service gives him a perspective that will help the International Council—and the Belfer Center more broadly—bridge ideas with action on the world stage. 

As Co-Chairs, Belfer and Nathan will work closely with O’Sullivan and the Center’s leadership to strengthen the International Council’s role as a trusted forum for insight on, and support for, the Center’s mission. Their deep expertise and commitment will help ensure that the Belfer Center remains at the forefront of ideas and policies that safeguard the future, just as it has done since the roots of the Center were established in 1973.