1968 Wharton graduate and President Donald Trump named Wharton Board of Advisors Chair Marc Rowan to two governing bodies that will oversee the peace process in the Gaza Strip.
Rowan — who holds a 1984 bachelor’s degree and an 1985 MBA from Wharton — will be a member of both the executive board of the “Board of Peace” which will oversee long-term stabilization in the region, and the executive board of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, which will oversee day-to-day operations in the territory. Rowan will serve on both boards alongside several other businessmen and politicians, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff.
Both a spokesperson for Rowan and a University spokesperson declined The Daily Pennsylvanian’s request for comment.
“Each Executive Board member will oversee a defined portfolio critical to Gaza’s stabilization and long-term success, including, but not limited to, governance capacity-building, regional relations, reconstruction, investment attraction, large-scale funding, and capital mobilization,” a Jan. 16 White House statement read.
The Trump administration’s peace plan builds on a previous proposal authored by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who was also named to the "Board of Peace." In October, Rowan was floated as a potential member of Blair’s board to oversee Gaza.
“This milestone perfectly aligns with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803 (2025), which endorsed President Trump’s Comprehensive Plan and welcomed the establishment of the Board of Peace,” the White House statement continued. “The Board of Peace will play an essential role in fulfilling all 20 points of the President’s plan, providing strategic oversight, mobilizing international resources, and ensuring accountability as Gaza transitions from conflict to peace and development.”
In recent years, Rowan actively supported both the Trump administration and the Republican Party.
In 2024, Trump reportedly considered appointing Rowan as Secretary of the Treasury. Rowan also worked closely with the White House to help draft the preferential funding compact that the Trump administration sent to Penn and eight other universities in October 2025.
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Last year, a DP analysis of campaign finance filings found Rowan donated over $3 million to Republican politicians and political action committees in the first half of 2025.
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Staff reporter Luke Petersen covers national politics and can be reached at petersen@thedp.com. At Penn, he studies philosophy, politics, and economics. Follow him on X @LukePetersen06.
