It was the December of 2003. Roger Federer, who was slowly and steadily finding his footing in the tennis world, announced a major move for the betterment of society. The Swiss maestro launched his foundation, the Roger Federer Foundation, to help underprivileged children in society with basic needs. Federer built a solid team to look after his foundation and its backbone is Janine Handel, who has embarked on the role of CEO since the foundation’s inception.

However, after more than 20 years in charge, Handel announced a major move that invited a heartwarming message from Federer. Earlier this week, Handel announced that she is calling time on her stint with the Roger Federer Foundation. The CEO played a key role in the foundation reaching $100 Million worth of philanthropic activities. As Handel revealed her decision to step down from her position in October this year, Federer took to social media to pay tribute to her.

Sharing a note on his official Twitter handle, Federer revealed, “Under Janine’s leadership, the Foundation has achieved significant milestones, including the development of impactful grantmaking programs and the formation of a professional management team of committed experts…. I am deeply grateful for Janine’s outstanding leadership and unwavering commitment, and I want to express my sincere appreciation for all she has done.”

Handel will pass on the baton to Maya Ziswiler, who brings extensive experience in philanthropy and social impact. She will adorn the role of the CEO from November of this month after Handel quits. Interestingly, Handel was one of the pioneers behind the early philanthropic activities of Federer’s foundation. They started with a small project in South Africa where they helped some children with scholarships.

Subsequently, under Handel’s leadership, the Foundation expanded its footprint and ventured into other countries and programs. Last year, the Roger Federer Foundation celebrated its 20th anniversary. On this special day, Federer reminisced about the day he started this journey.

Roger Federer on his foundation: ‘Incredibly exciting and fulfilling’

Since Federer began his foundation, he has gone on to become one of the greatest players tennis has ever seen. However, back then, he was still 22 but had a great vision to work for needy people. As a result, when his foundation turned 20 last year, he reminisced about how fulfilling his journey was. Federer mentioned on social media, “I still remember signing the founding documents on Christmas Eve of 2003 together with my parents. Then, at the age of 22, I never could have imagined how incredibly exciting and fulfilling this journey would be.” 

Additionally, Federer has also revealed that his foundation will always be at the forefront of his priorities during his post-retirement life. This has been synonymous with the massive impact that the foundation has been creating of late. It has enabled more than 2.5 million children in seven countries better access to early education. The foundation supports early education programs in Switzerland and six Southern African countries. It is heartening to see how big an impact Federer has had, not just on the tennis court but also on society. Indeed, he is a legend in the true sense.