Achim Steiner is a globally-recognised leader in sustainable development, climate policy, and digital innovation. As former UNDP Administrator and UN Vice-Chair for Sustainable Development, he has shaped global agendas on finance, green transition strategies and emerging technologies. A geopolitical strategist with deep experience across continents, Achim draws on decades of leadership in international institutions to offer unique insights into the nexus of environment, development and global security in international relations.... Read more
Achim Steiner is a recognised leader in sustainable development and climate policy. He has led many international organisations, including several UN agencies, and was the third most senior official in the United Nations between 2017 and 2025. His expertise covers many fields, including international relations, geopolitics, world leadership, the digital economy, AI, global finance, international cooperation and green transition strategies.
In 2025, Achim left the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) after eight years as Administrator – the equivalent of CEO – where he was responsible for an annual turnover of $5 billion, and 23,000 staff spread across 170 countries. He is returning to Oxford University’s Oxford Martin School (OMS) where he previously served as director, to focus on futures and scenarios in relation to global risks and security strategies, at both national and international level.
Achim Steiner’s many roles have included Managing Director of the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), the UN Volunteer Programme (UNV) and Vice-Chair of the UN Sustainable Development Group. Earlier leadership positions include the World Commission on Dams (WCD), the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). He has lived and worked in almost every continent, and is a regular contributor to print and online media.
Achim has worked widely with international financial institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank, as well as the G7 and G20 processes, where for eight years he represented the UN in the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Track. He pioneered a move towards sustainable finance, advancing the greening of financial systems and innovative access to capital markets.
As co-chair of the UN Secretary-General’s Task Force on Digital Finance and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), Achim championed leveraging digital innovation for more affordable and inclusive finance, while reshaping public and private sector approaches to finance and insurance. He introduced a network of Accelerator Labs in over 90 countries and was key to helping the organisation transform from analogue to ‘digital by default’. This supported countries in the development of their own digital ecosystems, such as regulatory frameworks and cybersecurity, an invaluable tool during and after Covid-19.
A Brazilian and German national, Achim currently serves on a number of boards and international advisory panels. These include International Vice-Chair of the China Council on International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED), the Hamburg Sustainability Conference Advisory Council (HSC), the AGORA think tank on mobility transition and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP). Achim has also worked in the private sector, serving as co-chair of the Insurance Development Sector (IDS).
Achim is the recipient of several awards, including an Honorary Doctorate from the International University in Geneva and an Honorary Professorship at Tongji University in Shanghai, and has studied at Oxford University, London University SOAS and the German Development Institute.