Published: November 21, 2025
By Thomas Kojo Roulhac
MONROVIA— William Telebo Thompson, former president of the Liberia Chess Federation and former Executive Board Member of the World Governing body of chess (FIDE), has been named global president of the International Chess Polytechnic, the U.S.-based organization announced Monday.
ICP will be expanding its operations in the United States, Liberia, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire and other African countries. In a statement from California, iCP said Thompson was selected by the founding members of ICP from a pool of other chess administrators based on his visional leadership skills and experience.
He was urged to guide the organization with integrity and openness. “We see a great potential in you, so that’s why we decided to appoint you as our global president,” the communication said. The organization’s mission is to promote intellectual development, ethical leadership and competitive excellence through chess education.
“We believe chess is more than a game — it’s a powerful tool for developing critical thinking, problem-solving and strategic decision-making skills that transcend the board,” iCP said. The institution offers coaching, curriculum design and leadership programs, ranging from school-based chess education to executive training. Its programs aim to improve academic performance, provide teacher training and help organizations strengthen decision-making frameworks. Speaking to the Liberian Investigator from Dubai, where he is on an international engagement tour, Thompson said his priority will be expanding chess development globally, beginning with Africa.
“My goal is to work with the leadership of federations for the holistic development of chess globally, beginning with Africa,” he said. Thompson praised iCP for giving him the opportunity to serve as its Global President. He pledged to collaborate with other international chess organizations to strengthen training and expand the game worldwide.
“ICP will have an effective leadership under my watch and we will engage with others to extend to other countries,” he said. It can be recalled that Ambassador Thompson led the Liberia Chess Federation (LCF) from 2018 to 2022, overseeing progressive reforms. He established a strong international image for the LCF, and organized local and international chess tournaments. Under his tenure, Liberia competed in its first World Chess Olympiad in Batumi, Georgia, in 2018.
Thompson was also elected as an Executive Board Member of the World’s Governing Body of Chess in the said Olympiad. Chess players and enthusiasts in Liberia and beyond are hoping and watching to see whether Thompson can replicate his domestic experience of transforming the LCF on the global stage by introducing programs with worldwide impact.
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