Atiqua Hashem Joins the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation as Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation today announced the hire of Atiqua Hashem as vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary. Hashem will serve as an officer of the Hilton Foundation and join its executive leadership team.

Hashem, who has 20 years of experience practicing law, was the general counsel and director of legal services for ChildFund International, USA where she established the legal function and led the in-house legal department. Before that, she was an assistant general counsel at CARE USA. She began her legal career as an international mergers & acquisitions associate at the law firm of Alston & Bird LLP.

“I am extremely pleased to welcome Atiqua to the Hilton Foundation as general counsel,” said Peter Laugharn, president and CEO of the Foundation. “She is an accomplished attorney who brings a depth of experiences, a thoughtful and engaging approach, exceptional skill, and a collaborative spirit. In an increasingly complex world, Atiqua’s counsel, partnership, and point of view will significantly benefit the board and staff as we expand and scale our work for optimal effectiveness.”

“It is an honor to join the Hilton Foundation and to work with the board, staff and Foundation partners to help improve the lives of so many people throughout the world,” said Hashem. “I look forward to using my experience in law, governance, and business to support the Foundation’s mission and ultimately, help drive equitable outcomes for some of the world’s most vulnerable and marginalized populations.”

Hashem was born in Bangladesh and grew up in South and Southeast Asia before coming to the United States for college. She earned her law degree with honors from the Fredric G. Levin College of Law at the University of Florida and her Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics and economics from Bryn Mawr College.

About the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation

The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation was created in 1944 by international business pioneer Conrad N. Hilton, who founded Hilton Hotels and left his fortune to help individuals throughout the world living in poverty and experiencing disadvantage. The Foundation invests in 11 program areas, including providing access to safe water, supporting transition age foster youth, ending chronic homelessness, hospitality workforce development, disaster relief and recovery, helping young children affected by HIV and AIDS, and supporting the work of Catholic sisters. In addition, following selection by an independent international jury, the Foundation annually awards the $2.5 million Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize to a nonprofit organization doing extraordinary work to reduce human suffering. From its inception, the Foundation has awarded more than $1.8 billion in grants, distributing $110 million in the U.S. and around the world in 2019. Foundation assets increased from approximately $2.9 billion to $6.6 billion following the 2019 passing of Barron Hilton who, like his father, pledged virtually his entire estate to the Foundation. For more information, please visit www.hiltonfoundation.org.