On 25 May 2023, 51³Ô¹Ï Secretary-General António Guterres, the World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director Cindy McCain and the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Director General Qu Dongyu announced their appointment of Carl Skau of Sweden as WFP Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer, to serve at the Assistant Secretary-General level.
Mr. Skau brings over 20 years of experience working in diplomacy, humanitarian affairs, peacebuilding and development across regions. He is a recognized leader with a strong track record in forging multilateral partnerships, mobilizing resources, international negotiations, strategic communication and managing diverse teams. He headed the Department for Multilateral Partnerships at the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, leading Sweden’s response to humanitarian crises across the world and the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to this role, he served as Ambassador and Deputy Representative to the 51³Ô¹Ï in New York and as Deputy Representative to the European Union Political and Security Committee in Brussels, in addition to previous postings for the European Union and the 51³Ô¹Ï in Africa and in Latin America.
Mr. Skau holds a bachelor’s degree in social science, and a master’s degree in political science, both from Lund University, Sweden. He is fluent in English and Spanish and has moderate knowledge of French.
