Board member

Bete is the President and Vice-Chairman of the Board of Project Mercy, a US-based and registered 501© (3) non-profit organization, implementing programs designed to eliminate poverty in rural communities.

Project Mercy started operations in Africa in 1977 providing aid (shelter, food, health care, education, and resettlement assistance) to refugees in seven countries. Since 1993, the organization has focused its efforts exclusively in Ethiopia with development programs that lift communities out of poverty.

Prior to joining Project Mercy, Bete worked for IBM for over thirty years in Information Technology. His last post was as the Vice President of Software for IBM’s Growth Markets, headquartered in Shanghai, China. He was responsible for managing a multibillion-dollar business and leading over 5,000 employees, in more than 140 countries, across Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Latin America. Bete was a member of IBM’s Growth and Transformation Team (GTT) – a select group of senior IBM executives that are change-agents for transformation and growth of the company. Following a two-year sabbatical from IBM to serve at Project Mercy, Bete retired from IBM in mid-2016 and now serves as President and CEO of Project Mercy Inc.

Education: Bete holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Systems Analysis from Taylor University and a Masters in Management from Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management.