Johan Henri Eliza Ferrier (12 May 1910 – 4 January 2010) was a Surinamese politician who served as the 1st president of Suriname from 1975 to 1980.

[9] When he went back to Suriname, which had by then become an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, he continued to study and to have a career in education.

[12] Ferrier was made a Grand Cordon in the Honorary Order of the Yellow Star by Chin A Sen on 3 September 1980.

[16] In 1986, Het Grote Anansi Boek, a picture book was released with illustrations by Noni Lichtveld.

[16] His daughter, Kathleen Ferrier, is a former member of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands for the Christian Democratic Appeal.

[18] An obituary in the national morning daily De Volkskrant said he had claimed: "Even in the darkest days, I kept my optimism".

[15] Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said Ferrier was "an authoritative and wise statesman".

The fund strives to follow in his footsteps in supporting Surinamese projects with educational and cultural goals.