Formerly a UK Government minister for international development with a remit for communications and research as well as water and sanitation, it is hoped Foster will help drive forward WaterAid’s global five year strategy to bring safe water and sanitation to 25 million people by 2015.
He will join the charity on 22 November and will lead a team covering media, publications, web, film, photography and internal communications.
Andrew Cook, WaterAid’s director of fundraising and communications, said: 'Raising our profile and reaching new audiences are key to us achieving our strategy and we’re delighted Foster brings with him such a breadth of experience and knowledge of both communications and the realities of daily life for many in the developing world.'
Foster added: 'During my time at the Department for International Development, I realised how important water, sanitation and hygiene were to improving development outcomes. The fight against poverty, tackling insecurity, better health and education, and greater opportunities for women are all linked to these basic human rights. It’s true for sub-Saharan Africa as it is for places like India, Bangladesh and Nepal.
'It was a real privilege of my previous role to see WaterAid projects in action so I was thrilled to be offered the chance of working for them in their mission to improve access to safe water, hygiene and sanitation in some of the world's poorest communities.'
