Robert Piper

Mr. Piper brings to the position nearly 30 years of experience in international development and peacebuilding in leadership positions within the United Nations. Before heading the Development Coordination Office, Mr. Piper was the Head of the Transition Team for the Repositioning of the UN Development System in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General. Mr. Piper has previously served the UN in senior field positions across four continents, most recently as the Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and RC/HC for the occupied Palestinian Territory (2015 - 2017); UN Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Sahel region (2013-2015); and UN RC/HC and UNDP Resident Representative for Nepal (2008-2013). He played a similar role leading the UN development system in Kosovo (2002-2004). Mr. Piper has also held a number of other key posts at Headquarters and in the field, including as inaugural Director for the Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund, as Deputy Director of UNDP's Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery, and as Chief of Staff to President Clinton in his capacity as the UN's Special Envoy to coordinate the international recovery effort after the Indian Ocean Tsunami. Mr. Piper began his UN career with the UN Population Fund in Thailand. Mr. Piper has a Bachelor of Arts degree, with honours in political science, from the Australian National University. He was a Yale University World Fellow in 2004. Robert is an Australian national, born in 1966 and is married with four children.