Professor Muhammad Yunus, founder of the Grameen Movement and winner of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize, is responsible for many innovative programs benefiting the rural poor. He taught briefly in the U.S. before returning to Bangladesh, where he joined the Economics Department at Chittagong University. In 1974, Dr. Yunus pioneered the idea of Gram Sarker (village government) as a form of local government based on the participation of rural people. This concept proved successful and was adopted by the Bangladeshi government in 1980. Dr. Yunus has received widespread recognition for his work, including the Nobel Peace Prize.

Dr. Yunus is also a UN Foundation Board member.