IO BIO


Biographical Dictionary

of Secretaries-General of

International Organizations

Name
Title
Organization
Years
Nationality
ADATCI Mineitciro
President
Permanent Court of International Justice (PCIJ)
1931–1933
Japanese
AMANO Yukiya
Director General
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
2009–2019
Japanese
ANNAN Kofi Atta
Secretary‑General
United Nations (UN)
1997–2006
Ghanaian
AVENOL Joseph Louis Anne Marie Charles
Secretary‑General
League of Nations
1933–1940
French
BAENA SOARES João Clemente
Secretary‑General
Organization of American States (OAS)
1984–1994
Brazilian
BERTINI Catherine Ann
Executive Director
World Food Programme (WFP)
1992–2002
American
BEYEN Johan Willem (Wim)
President
Bank for International Settlements (BIS)
1937–1939
Dutch
BLACK Eugene Robert
President
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development or World Bank (since 1956 World Bank Group) (IBRD)
1949–1962
American
BODENHAUSEN Georg Hendrik Christiaan
Director
United International Bureaux for the Protection of Intellectual Property (BIRPI)
1963–1970
Dutch
BODENHAUSEN Georg Hendrik Christiaan
Director‑General
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
1970–1973
Dutch
BODENHAUSEN Georg Hendrik Christiaan
Secretary‑General
International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV)
1969–1973
Dutch
BOERMA Addeke Hendrik
Executive Director
World Food Programme (WFP)
1962–1967
Dutch
BOERMA Addeke Hendrik
Director‑General
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
1968–1975
Dutch
BOKOVA Irina Georgieva
Director‑General
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
2009–2017
Bulgarian
BONNET Basile Louis Joseph Henri
Director
International Institute of Intellectual Cooperation (IIIC)
1931–1940
French
BOUTROS-GHALI Boutros Youssef
Secretary‑General
United Nations (UN)
1992–1996
Egyptian
BOUTROS-GHALI Boutros Youssef
Secretary‑General
International Organization of La Francophonie
1997–2002
Egyptian
BRUNDTLAND Gro (née Harlem)
Director‑General
World Health Organization (WHO)
1998–2003
Norwegian
BUSTANI José Maurício de Figueiredo
Director‑General
Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)
1997–2002
Brazilian
BUTLER Harold Beresford
Director
International Labour Office of the International Labour Organization (ILO)
1932–1938
British
CANDAU Marcolino Gomes
Director‑General
World Health Organization (WHO)
1953–1973
Brazilian
CARRINGTON Peter Alexander Rupert
Secretary General
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
1984–1988
British
CHAN Margaret (née Fung Fu-chun)
Director‑General
World Health Organization (WHO)
2007–2017
Unspecified
CHISHOLM George Brock
Director‑General
World Health Organization
1948–1953
Canadian
CLAUSEN Alden Winship (Tom)
President
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and World Bank Group (IBRD)
1981–1986
American
COLE William Sterling (W. Sterling Cole)
Director General
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
1957–1961
American
CROWDY Rachel Eleanor
Head
Social Affairs Section of the League of Nations
1919–1931
British
CURCHOD Charles Louis
Director
International Telegraph Union (ITU)
1869–1869
Swiss
DA COSTA HOLANDA CAVALCANTI Geraldo Egídio (Geraldo Holanda Cavalcanti)
Secretary‑General
Latin Union
1997–2000
Brazilian
DAVIES David Arthur
Secretary‑General
World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
1956–1979
British
DE BOER Yvo
Executive Secretary
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat (UNFCCC)
2006–2010
Dutch
DE LAROSIÈRE Jacques Martin Henri Marie
Managing Director
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
1978–1987
French
DE LAROSIÈRE Jacques Martin Henri Marie
President
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
1993–1998
French
DIALLO Boubacar Telli
Administrative Secretary‑General
Organization of African Unity (OAU)
1964–1972
Guinean
DRUMMOND James Eric
Secretary‑General
League of Nations
1919–1933
British
EICHHOFF Johann Joseph
Director‑General
Rhine Shipping Octroi
1806–1813
German
EICHHOFF Johann Joseph
charged with preparing the regulatory framework
Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine
1815–1819
German
EVANS Luther Harris
Director‑General
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
1953–1958
American
GARDINER Robert Kweku Atta
Executive Secretary
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UN ECA)
1962–1975
Ghanaian
GAVIRIA TRUJILLO César Augusto
Secretary General
Organization of American States (OAS)
1994–2004
Colombian
GOAD Edward Colin Viner
Secretary‑General
Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO)
1968–1973
British
GRANT James Pineo (Jim)
Executive Director
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
1980–1995
American
GUTTENSTEIN Camille Adolphe (Camille Gutt)
Managing Director
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
1946–1951
Belgian
HAMMARSKJÖLD Dag Hjalmar Agne Carl
Secretary‑General
United Nations (UN)
1953–1961
Swedish
HANSENNE Michel
Director‑General
International Labour Office of the International Labour Organization (ILO)
1989–1999
Belgian
HAVEMAN Bastiaan Wouter
Director
Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration (ICEM)
1962–1969
Dutch
HOFFMAN Paul Gray
Managing Director
United Nations Special Fund
1959–1965
American
HOFFMAN Paul Gray
Administrator
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
1966–1972
American
HOLTROP Marius Wilhelm (Bob)
President and Chairman
Board of Directors of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS)
1958–1967
Dutch
HUXLEY Julian Sorell
Director‑General
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
1946–1948
British
IDRIS Kamil Eltayeb
Director General
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
1997–2008
Sudanese
IDRIS Kamil Eltayeb
Secretary‑General
International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV)
1997–2008
Sudanese
INGRAM James Charles
Executive Director
World Food Programme (WFP)
1982–1992
Australian
ISMAY Hastings Lionel (Pug)
Secretary‑General
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
1952–1957
British
JEBB Hubert Miles Gladwyn
Acting Secretary‑General
United Nations
1946–1946
British
JENKINS Roy Harris
President
European Commission
1977–1981
British
JENKS Clarence Wilfred
Director‑General
International Labour Office of the International Labour Organization (ILO)
1970–1973
British
JOHNSTON Donald James
Secretary‑General
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
1996–2006
Canadian
KEENLEYSIDE Hugh Llewellyn
Director‑General
United Nations Technical Assistance Administration (TAA)
1950–1958
Canadian
KIRCHNER Néstor Carlos
Secretary‑General
Union of South American Nations (UNASUR)
2010–2010
Argentinean
KOTAITE Assad Adib
Secretary General
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
1970–1976
Lebanese
KOTAITE Assad Adib
Council President
ICAO
1976–2006
Lebanese
KRISTENSEN Thorkil
Secretary‑General
Organization for European Economic Cooperation (OEEC)
1960–1961
Danish
KRISTENSEN Thorkil
Secretary‑General
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
1961–1969
Danish
LESTER John Ernest (Seán; also called Jack)
Secretary‑General
League of Nations
1940–1946
Irish
LIE Trygve Halvdan
Secretary‑General
United Nations
1946–1953
Norwegian
LUBBERS Rudolphus Franciscus Marie (Ruud)
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
2001–2005
Dutch
LUNS Joseph Antoine Marie Hubert
Secretary General
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)
1971–1984
Dutch
MAHEU René Gabriel Eugène
Director‑General
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
1961–1974
French
MAHLER Halfdan Theodor
Director‑General
World Health Organization (WHO)
1973–1988
Danish
MANSHOLT Sicco Leendert
President
Commission of the European Community (EC)
1972–1973
Dutch
MARJOLIN Robert Ernest
Secretary‑General
Organisation for European Economic Cooperation (OEEC)
1948–1955
French
MAYOR ZARAGOZA Federico
Director‑General
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
1987–1999
Spanish
M’BOW Amadou Mahtar
Director‑General
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
1974–1987
Senegalese
MCDONALD James Grover
High Commissioner for Refugees Coming from Germany
League of Nations
1933–1935
American
MCNAMARA Robert Strange
President
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and World Bank Group (IBRD)
1968–1981
American
MEYER Eugene Isaac
President
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)
1946–1946
American
MICHELMORE Laurence Victor
Commissioner‑General
United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)
1964–1971
American
MICHIELS VAN VERDUYNEN Louis Paul Marie Hubert
Secretary‑General
Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)
1905–1929
Dutch
MORSE David Abner
Director‑General
International Labour Office of the International Labour Organization (ILO)
1948–1970
American
MYRDAL Gunnar
Executive Secretary
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN ECE)
1947–1957
Swedish
NAKAJIMA Hiroshi
Director‑General
World Health Organization (WHO)
1988–1998
Japanese
NANSEN Fridtjof
High Commissioner for Refugees
League of Nations
1921–1930
Norwegian
OGATA Sadako (née Nakamura)
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
1991–2000
Japanese
OREJA AGUIRRE Marcelino
Secretary General
Council of Europe
1984–1989
Spanish
ORFILA Washington Alejandro José Luis (Alejandro or Alex)
Secretary General
Organization of American States (OAS)
1975–1984
Argentine
ORR John Boyd
Director‑General
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
1945–1948
British
PASTIZZI Dunja (Pastizzi-Ferenčić)
Director
United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW)
1981–1990
Unspecified
PATE Maurice
Executive Director
United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, in 1953 renamed United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
1947–1965
American
PHELAN Edward Joseph
Director
International Labour Office of the International Labour Organization (ILO)
1941–1946
British
PHELAN Edward Joseph
Director‑General
International Labour Organization (ILO)
1941–1948
British
PIOT Peter Karel
Executive Director
Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
1994–2008
Belgian
PREBISCH LINARES Raúl Federico
Executive Secretary
United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLA)
1950–1963
Argentinean
PREBISCH LINARES Raúl Federico
Secretary‑General
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
1964–1969
Argentinean
RAJCHMAN Ludwik Witold
Director
League of Nations Health Organization
1921–1939
Polish
REY Francis Paul Marie Joseph François Xavier
Secretary
European Commission of the Danube (ECD)
1911–1913
French
REY Francis Paul Marie Joseph François Xavier
Secretary‑General
ECD
1913–1935
French
RICUPERO Rubens
Secretary‑General
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
1995–2004
Brazilian
ROBERTSON George Islay McNeill
Secretary General
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
1999–2003
British
ROBINSON Mary Therese Winifred (née Bourke)
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
1997–2002
Irish
ROOTH Ivar
Managing Director
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
1951–1956
Swedish
SALIM Salim Ahmed
Secretary‑General
Organization of African Unity (OAU)
1989–2001
Tanzanian
SALTER James Arthur
Director
Economic and Financial Section of the League of Nations Secretariat
1919–1920
British
SAOUMA Edouard Victor
Director‑General
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
1976–1993
Lebanese
SPAAK Paul-Henri Charles
Secretary General
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
1957–1961
Belgian
STIKKER Dirk Uipko
Secretary General
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
1961–1964
Dutch
STOKES John
British Delegate
European Commission of the Danube
1856–1871
British
STOLTENBERG Thorvald
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
1990–1990
Norwegian
STOPPANI Pietro Angelo
Director
League of Nations Economic Relations Organization
1931–1939
Italian
THANT U
Acting Secretary‑General
United Nations (UN)
1961–1962
Burmese
THANT U
Secretary‑General
1962–1971
Burmese
THOMAS Aristide Albert
Director
International Labour Office of the International Labour Organization (ILO)
1919–1932
French
TOLBA Mostafa Kamal Mohammed Kamel
Executive Director
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
1975–1992
Egyptian
UNCKEL Per Carl Gustav
Secretary‑General
Nordic Council of Ministers
2003–2006
Swedish
VAN DER STOEL Maximilianus (Max)
High Commissioner on National Minorities
Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) (CSCE)
1993–2001
Dutch
VAN HEUVEN GOEDHART Gerrit Jan
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
1951–1956
Dutch
VAN LENNEP Emile
Secretary‑General
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
1969–1984
Dutch
VIEIRA DE MELLO Sérgio
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
2002–2003
Brazilian
WINANT John Gilbert (Gil)
Director
International Labour Office of the International Labour Organization (ILO)
1939–1941
American
WITTEVEEN Hendrikus Johannes (Johan or Johannes)
Managing Director
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
1973–1978
Dutch
WOODS George David
President
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and World Bank Group (IBRD)
1963–1968
American
WYNDHAM WHITE Eric Henry
Executive Secretary
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)
1948–1965
British
WYNDHAM WHITE Eric Henry
Director‑General
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)
1965–1968
British