The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)
UNOPS welcomes appointment of new Deputy Executive Director
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has announced the appointment of Mr. Robert Turner as UNOPS Deputy Executive Director for Delivery and Partnerships.
Mr. Turner will take office on 1 November. A national of Canada, he has served as Chief of Mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Ukraine since September 2025. He previously served as Operations Coordinator for IOM’s Gaza Response and as Chief of Mission (ad Interim) in the Syrian Arab Republic. He previously worked as Chief Operating Officer and Chief of Staff at the World Food Programme, providing executive leadership across global operations spanning more than 100 countries.
Robert’s extensive experience leading complex operations across humanitarian and development contexts will be a strong asset to UNOPS work, as we scale up efforts to respond to compounding global crises and deliver on the SDGs and climate action.
Mr. Turner brings over 30 years of international humanitarian, emergency and development experience, including significant expertise in global operations, programme delivery and organizational transformation across complex international environments. He has held senior leadership positions across UN agencies, including the UN Palestine Refugees Agency and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Earlier in his career, he served as Assistant Deputy Minister in the government of British Columbia in Canada and held senior roles with the International Rescue Committee and in the private sector.
Read the announcement from the Executive Office of the Secretary-General here.
