UN Appoints Susan Brown as New Assistant Secretary-General for UNDP

A seasoned expert in advocacy, policy, and communications, Ms. Brown brings a strong commitment to sustainable development and public policy.

The United Nations Secretary-General has announced the appointment of Ms. Susan Brown from Switzerland as the Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator, and Director of the Bureau for External Relations and Advocacy (BERA) at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

A seasoned expert in advocacy, policy, and communications, Ms. Brown brings a strong commitment to sustainable development and public policy. Most recently, she served as a strategic advisor to various international organizations, focusing on sustainable development, gender issues, and public health.

From 2016 to 2022, Ms. Brown was the Director of Public Policy Engagement at Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, a collaboration involving WHO, UNICEF, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and other key partners. Prior to that, she spent over a decade at WWF International, where she held leadership roles in global and regional policy, significantly advancing the organization's efforts in multilateral sustainable development dialogues.

Ms. Brown's career also includes experience as a print journalist and a senior advisor in the Australian Federal Parliament. She has held positions such as Coordinator of the North Queensland Conservation Council.

Following her appointment, UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner expressed enthusiasm for Ms. Brown’s arrival, stating, “Her expertise in communications, advocacy, and partnerships will guide BERA and strengthen our collaborations with stakeholders as we move into a new strategic phase and work toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”

In 2016, Ms. Brown was honored with the “Inspirational Women in Geneva Working for the Environment” award by the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions. She succeeds Ms. Ulrika Modéer, who has recently been appointed Secretary General of Sweden’s Red Cross. Steiner acknowledged Modéer’s contributions over her six-year tenure.

Ms. Brown holds an Executive Master’s degree in environmental governance and policy-making from the Geneva Graduate Institute, along with a Bachelor of Social Science in social and environmental assessment and policy from RMIT University in Melbourne. A Swiss national, she grew up in Australia before relocating to Switzerland in 2005.