Secretary General Appoints Henrietta H. Fore of United States Executive Director, United Nations Children’s Fund
Following consultations with the Executive Board of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Secretary‑General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Henrietta H. Fore of the United States as the Fund’s new Executive Director.
She will succeed Anthony Lake, to whom the Secretary‑General is grateful for his commitment and dedicated service to the Organization. Mr. Lake brought a renewed focus on equity throughout UNICEF’s programmes and services for children. In achieving results for every child, his leadership has strengthened UNICEF’s reputation and credibility as an organization, and as a valued, expert partner for Governments, civil society groups and businesses around the world, working together to achieve results for children.
Ms. Fore has worked to champion economic development, education and health, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief for the most vulnerable in the international and developing world, in a public service, private sector and non‑profit leadership career spanning more than four decades.
The first woman to be appointed Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Director of United States Foreign Assistance in the Department of State, she held these positions between 2006 and 2009. From 1989 to 1993, she was variously USAID Assistant Administrator for Asia and for Private Enterprise.
Ms. Fore also served as Undersecretary of State for Management, the Chief Operating Officer for the United States Department of State (2005‑2007), and as the thirty‑seventh Director of the United States Mint within the Department of Treasury (2001‑2005). In addition, she sat on the boards of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
Ms. Fore currently chairs the Board and is the Chief Executive Officer of Holsman International, a manufacturing and investment company. She has also served on the boards for six domestic and international public corporations. Ms. Fore has been the Global Co‑Chair of the Asia Society, Chair of the Middle East Investment Initiative, and Co‑Chair of WomenCorporateDirectors. She served on the boards of Center for Strategic and International Studies, Aspen Institute, Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy and the Center for Global Development.
Ms. Fore has a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Wellesley College and a Master of Science degree in Public Administration from the University of Northern Colorado. She is married and has four children.