An exciting leadership transition happened at Ploughshares Fund recently — the departure of longtime Chief Operating Officer Philip Yun and the appointment of Elizabeth Warner as managing director. Philip led the organization through a significant period of growth, playing an influential role in the foundation’s expansion of a Washington DC office. As a regional expert on Asia and North Korea, Yun provided strategic guidance in the face of escalating tensions and opportunities in that region. His leadership with the historic Iran deal, N Square and the Women’s Initiative leaves a legacy of innovation and impact.
Prior to joining Ploughshares Fund, he was a vice president at The Asia Foundation (2005-2011), a Pantech Scholar in Korean Studies at the Shorenstein Asia Pacific Research Center at Stanford University (2004-2005) and a vice president at the private equity firm of H&Q Asia Pacific (2001-2004). He was a presidential appointee at the US Department of State (1994-2001), serving as Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs.
During this time, he also worked as a senior advisor to two US Coordinators for North Korea Policy — former Secretary of Defense William J. Perry and former Under Secretary of State Wendy Sherman. Philip was a member of a government working group that managed US policy and negotiations with North Korea under President Clinton and was part of the US delegation that traveled to North Korea with Secretary of State Madeline Albright in October 2000.
Prior to government service, he practiced law at the firms of Pillsbury Madison & Sutro in San Francisco and Garvey Schubert & Barer in Seattle. He also was a foreign legal consultant at the firm of Shin & Kim in Seoul, Korea. In other lives, Mr. Yun was a national staffer on the Presidential campaigns of Vice President Walter Mondale, Governor Michael Dukakis, and then Governor Bill Clinton.
"It has been a joy to see Ploughshares Fund grow from a regional voice to a significant voice in the nuclear security field," says Philip, "I'm thrilled that the foundation is set for new leadership with Liz, who I have been close colleagues with for years. She will take Ploughshares Fund to new heights."
Philip is now president of the World Affairs Council of Northern California. We will miss Philip greatly, and we are proud that World Affairs has selected him as their new president. He will certainly excel there, as he has at Ploughshares Fund.
