Biographical Note

Secretary-General Appoints Jessica Faieta of Ecuador Director of Regional Bureau

for Latin America and Caribbean, United Nations Development Programme

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced today the appointment of Jessica Faieta of Ecuador as Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Ms. Faieta succeeds Heraldo Muñoz of Chile, who has returned to Chile to take up the post of Minister for Foreign Affairs in President Michelle Bachelet’s Administration.  The Secretary-General is grateful to Mr. Muñoz for his dedication and commitment to the Organization during his term with UNDP.

Ms. Faieta has many years of distinguished service within UNDP, holding various leadership positions, most recently as Deputy Regional Director of the Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean.  Prior to this, she served as Senior Country Director, UNDP Haiti, where she led UNDP’s post-disaster recovery effort after the 2010 earthquake.  She was United Nations Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in El Salvador and Belize, as well as Deputy Director and Deputy Chief of Staff in the Office of the UNDP Administrator.

Between 2005 and 2007, Ms. Faieta served in the Executive Office of the United Nations Secretary-General as Principal Officer to the Chef de Cabinet and Director of the Office of the Deputy Secretary-General.  Earlier in her career, she held a variety of roles, both at UNDP Headquarters and in the field in such duty stations as Argentina, Panama, Cuba, Belize and Guyana.  She began her career as Commercial Officer at the Canadian Embassy in Ecuador.

Ms. Faieta holds a Master of International Affairs in economic development, as well as a Master of Business Administration in international finance from Columbia University, New York, United States, and a Bachelor of Science in economics from State University of New York, New Paltz, United States.

* *** *

For information media • not an official record