Biographical Note

SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS JAN MATTSSON OF SWEDEN AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

OF UNITED NATIONS OFFICE FOR PROJECT SERVICES

 

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today announced the appointment of Jan Mattsson of Sweden as Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), at the Assistant Secretary-General level, effective 12 June 2006.

Mr. Mattsson has enjoyed a distinguished career within the United Nations system over the past 23 years.  Most recently, he served as Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the Bureau of Management of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), where he has been a leader of change management and reform.  He has also played a leadership role in the High-Level Committee on Management and in the UNDG Management Group.

Mr. Mattsson began his career as a Junior Professional Officer with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in Sri Lanka (1982-1985) and later served at UNDP headquarters as Area Officer for India (1985-1987) and Deputy Chief of the Programme Support Division (1988-1990) in the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific.  He returned to the field, where he served as Deputy Resident Representative in China (1990-1994), before he became United Nations Resident Coordinator for UNDP, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) and the World Food Programme (WFP) in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (1994-1997).

Mr. Mattsson holds a Ph.D. in engineering.  Prior to joining the United Nations system, he worked as a university lecturer and management consultant.

A Swedish national, he was born on 10 January 1952.

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