Achim Steiner Biography

Achim Steiner was appointed Director of the Oxford Martin School on 1st September 2016. Prior to joining the University of Oxford he served as United Nations Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (2006-2016).
During his tenure at the United Nations Mr Steiner helped to position UNEP as a central global player on issues such as climate change technology innovation ecosystems management and the role of markets and the private sector in sustainable development. He also led UNEP through a major reform and transformation process culminating in the UN General Assembly establishing a new UN Environment Assembly in 2014 to foster more effective global environmental cooperation and governance. As Executive Director he pioneered a number of new major initiatives linking economic and environmental transitions such as on the green economy finance energy and resource management. Mr Steiner also served as a member of the UN Secretary General’s Chief Executive Board and chaired the UN System’s High Level Committee on Programmes.
During his career which he began as a development economist and which gradually led him into the broader arena of sustainable development international relations and global diplomacy Mr Steiner has led a number of institutions as Chief Executive including as Secretary General of the World Commission on Dams Director General of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Director General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON). He has lived and worked in Oman UK India Pakistan Germany Zimbabwe USA Vietnam South Africa Switzerland and Kenya.