Our Team in Thailand

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Michaela Friberg-Storey of Sweden as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Thailand, with the host Government’s approval, starting on 16 September.

Ms. Friberg-Storey brings over 25 years of expertise in international humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding. Prior, she served as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Before joining the UN, Ms. Friberg-Storey held senior management positions within the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and she served as Senior Advisor at the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

She holds a postgraduate degree in Humanitarian Assistance from Uppsala University and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Stockholm University.

Ms. Atsuko Okuda is the Regional Director of International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Bangkok. Previously, she was the Chief of the ICT and Development Section at ESCAP. At ESCWA, she served as Chief of the Governance and State Building Section and as the Team Leader responsible for knowledge management. Ms. Okuda holds a Master’s Degree from Helsinki University, Bachelor’s Degree from Kyoto University, and has enrolled as a research fellow on e-governance at the United Nations University – Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology. Her academic articles on broadband and AI were published by the Lee Kwan Yew School of Public Policy.

Mr. Benedikt Hofmann is the UNODC Deputy Regional Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific since September 2023. Previously, he was UNODC’s Head of Office in Myanmar and served in the Office of the Director, Division for Operations at UNODC Headquarters. Before that, he supported UNODC’s programme development and management in Eastern Africa, the Middle East and North Africa. Prior to that, Mr. Hoffmann monitored UNODC’s Asia and the Pacific activities covering organized crime, illicit trafficking, as well as challenges related to drug abuse and terrorism. He also served in various capacities at UNODC covering Africa, the Middle East, as well as Afghanistan.

Mr. Christian Hainzl is the Regional Manager of the UNV Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific since September 2023. Previously, he served as the UNV Regional Manager for Arab States. He also headed UNDP’s governance and local development programs in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Myanmar. Mr. Hainzl served at the UNV headquarter where he managed host country relations and UN agency joint premises. He was a senior researcher at the University of Vienna, where he completed a PhD in law, and worked as an advisor to the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mr. Hainzl holds a Master’s Degree in Law from the University of Graz and a postgraduate diploma in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University.

Christine Arab has dedicated over 25 years to advancing gender equality and women’s human rights within the UN System, working across Asia, the Pacific, the Arab States, the Caribbean, the Balkans and the Southern Caucasus. Ms. Arab has served as a UN Women Country Representative in Egypt, the Multi-Country Office in the Caribbean, and the Albania Country Office. She has held the position of Chief of the Asia-Pacific Section at UN Women HQ and was an advisor on the Executive Director’s Transition team during the establishment of UN Women. Additionally, she has headed UN Women (formerly UNIFEM) offices in the Southern Caucasus and Afghanistan and has worked in former sub-regional offices and at HQ as a programme specialist for the Pacific, Asia, the Arab States, Central Asia and Europe. Ms. Arab has been a senior technical consultant to the UN in South Asia and Southeast Asia, focusing on strategic planning, partnership development and supporting the normative agendas on gender equality and women’s empowerment. Ms. Arab holds a Master of Arts in International Relations/Political Science from Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.

Dr. Ailan Li has served as the WHO Representative to Thailand since September 2025. She previously held senior leadership roles at WHO, including Assistant Director-General for Universal Health Coverage and Healthier Populations, where she advanced global initiatives on the environmental, social, and economic determinants of health within a One Health framework. From 2019 to 2023, she was WHO Representative to Cambodia and earlier Regional Emergency Director for the Health Emergencies Programme in the Western Pacific, also heading the Division of Health Security and Emergencies. Before joining WHO, Dr. Li was Associate Professor at the School of Public Health, Peking University. She holds a medical degree from Beijing Medical University and a Master’s in Health Social Science from Mahidol University, Thailand.

Dr. Julitta Elizabeth Onabanjo is the UNFPA Representative for Malaysia and Country Director for the Kingdom of Thailand. Dr. Onabanjo has over 27 years of experience with a focus on population dynamics, sexual and reproductive health, and gender policies. Previously, she was UNFPA Principal Adviser on Healthy Aging and Climate Action in HQ, Director of UNFPA Technical Division in HQ, and Regional Director of UNFPA's East and Southern Africa Region. Since 1995, Dr. Onabanjo served at UNFPA headquarters and at country level in many position namely Technical Adviser and Special Assistant to the Executive Director and as UNFPA Representative in Tanzania and the Republic of South Africa. She also worked with UNDP, WHO and Planned Parenthood Association. She holds a Master of Community Health in Developing Countries from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from the University of Zambia, and a Bachelor of Science in Applied Biology from the University of London.

Mr. Fukuya Iino is the UNIDO Representative at the Regional Hub in Thailand. As a chemical and environmental engineer, he has devoted his career to the industrial and institutional capacity building of the public and private sector in emerging economies. Previously, he worked as an Industrial Development Officer in the Montreal Protocol Division at UNIDO in Austria and developed UNIDO’s SDG Impact Investment Programme. Mr. Iino started his career as a post-doctoral researcher at the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology in Japan. He holds an Executive MBA jointly organized by the London School of Economics and New York University as well as a Ph.D. from the University of Tokyo.

Mr. Ken Legins is the UNICEF Representative to Thailand. Previously, he served as UNICEF Representative in Belize and as Deputy Representative for Programmes in Iraq, overseeing work across the humanitarian-development nexus. He also held senior global roles at UNICEF Supply Division in Copenhagen and at UNICEF Headquarters, including leadership on global supply chains and HIV policy. Earlier in his career, he served as Chief of HIV and Adolescent Development at UNICEF China and worked with the WHO Regional Office for Europe on adolescent and maternal health in Ukraine, North Macedonia and Albania. He holds a Master of Public Health from Yale University and a Bachelor’s degree from Bowdoin College, United States.

Mr. Marco Toscano-Rivalta is Chief of United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) for Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. Previously, Mr. Toscano-Rivalta worked with the United Nations and other international organizations in the areas of humanitarian relief, refugee protection, promotion and protection of human rights, justice administration, sustainable development and disaster risk management. He holds a degree from the University of Bologna, Italy.

Ms. Marlene Nilsson joined UNEP Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific in April 2023 as the Deputy Regional Director and Representative to Thailand. Previously, she held the position of Senior Programme Management Officer/Special Assistant in the Office of the UNEP Executive Director. She also worked in the Executive Office, Ecosystems Division and Policy and Programme Division at UNEP. Ms. Nilsson spent 13 years with United Nations Peacekeeping, working on crisis management, peace negotiations, and political affairs in Eritrea, Ethiopia and Sudan as well as at United Nations Headquarters in New York. She holds a Master’s Degree in Political Science.

Ms. Niamh Collier-Smith is the UNDP Resident Representative in Thailand. Previously, she was with UNDP's Executive Office in New York, working to advance the strategy and performance of the US $5 billion international organization. Niamh has been working with UNDP for over 19 years on management, development programming, and strategic communications. Niamh also served as the Resident Representative a.i. and Deputy Resident Representative in Bhutan. Before UNDP, Niamh worked with the World Bank, an award-winning international human rights’ defenders’ organization Frontline, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Irish development organization Trocaire, and as a print and broadcast journalist. She is a Dublin City University graduate.

Mr. Nicholas George is the Director of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) for the Southeast Asia and Pacific Multi-Country Office. Since joining UNOPS in 2008, Mr. George has held several senior leadership positions, including Deputy Regional Director for Asia Pacific, Country Director in Myanmar and later Afghanistan, Director of the Washington Liaison Office, and Global Head of Communications. Prior to joining the UN, he spent 20 years in print and broadcast journalism with among others, The Financial Times and The Economist. Mr. George holds degrees from the University of Manchester and the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Dr. Patchara Benjarattanaporn is the Country Director at the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). Previously, she served as Strategic Information Adviser at UNAIDS Thailand Country Office. Prior to joining the UN, Dr. Benjarattanaporn worked with various international organizations, including the USAID Regional Development Mission, Population Council-Regional Office, and the Family Health International-Regional Office, managing strategic information and regional HIV-related activities in Myanmar, China, Laos, Thailand and Papua New Guinea. She holds a Doctorate Degree in Demography and a Master's Degree in Population and Social Research.

Ms. Pratubjit Neelapaijit is a National Human Rights Officer at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), based in Bangkok. She has over 17 years of experience in human rights monitoring, reporting, and protection, spanning civil society, academia, and the United Nations system, with a focus on civic space, rule of law, economic and social rights, and the protection of human rights defenders. Previously, Ms. Neelapaijit served as Human Rights Officer with OHCHR Myanmar, where she conducted monitoring and investigation of violations of international human rights and humanitarian law and supported capacity-building for civil society organizations and UN partners across Southeast Asia. She also worked as a lecturer at the Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies, Mahidol University, and as Project Manager at the Justice for Peace Foundation, where she documented cases of enforced disappearance in Thailand. Ms. Neelapaijit holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science (Conflict Transformation) and a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science, both from Chulalongkorn University.

Mr. Robert Simpson is the Deputy Regional Representative of the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. He has served with FAO since 2009 and brings over two decades of international experience in forestry and agrifood systems. Prior to his current role, he served as Special Advisor to the Assistant Director-General and FAO Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific. He was also the FAO Representative in Bangladesh (2018–2023), where he oversaw a diverse portfolio and helped significantly strengthen FAO’s presence and partnerships. He previously worked with FAO’s Forestry Department in Rome and held field positions with the U.S. Forest Service in Liberia and Madagascar. Mr. Simpson holds a Master of Science in Forest Economics and International Relations from the University of Minnesota.

Ms. Soohyun Kim is the Director of the UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok and Representative to Thailand, Myanmar, Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Singapore. Prior to joining UNESCO, she spearheaded UNFPA’s intergovernmental and inter-agency coordination in New York, led UNICEF’s global partnership with IFIs, and headed UNICEF’s office in South Korea. She also led UN OCHA’s partnerships at the Regional Office for the Syria Crisis in Jordan and worked as a policy specialist at UNDP in New York. Ms. Kim began her diplomatic career at the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She holds a Master’s Degree in International Relations from Yale University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and International Affairs from Yonsei University, Republic of Korea.

Mr. Srinivasa Popuri is the Chief of the UN-Habitat Multi-Country Office (MCO), overseeing programmes across South and South East Asia. Previously, Mr. Popuri has worked in the field of human settlements advancing Habitat agenda. Of these, he spent over 25 years with the United Nations in several countries in Asia and the Pacific after serving for 5 years with the Government of India and various international organizations.

Ms. Sylvie Bétemps Cochin is the Senior Trade Promotion Officer at the International Trade Centre (ITC) Office for Asia and the Pacific. Previously, she was adviser to a large regional trade and economic integration programme in Africa, and was also responsible for managing regional projects, supporting south-south trade promotion, institutional strengthening, and the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises in Asia and Africa. Ms. Cochin holds a Master’s Degree from the Institute of Political Economy, France.

Ms. Sharpe is the Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Thailand since April 2024. She has more than 27 years of UN experience, with postings in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, UNHCR Headquarters and UN Secretariat in New York. Her expertise covers humanitarian protection, peacebuilding, reconciliation, the humanitarian-development nexus, external relations, resource mobilization and management. Prior to joining the UN, she worked with the U.S. Catholic Conference and volunteered as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer in Senegal. Ms. Sharpe holds a Master’s Degree in International Relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University and a Bachelor Degree in Political Science from Columbia University.

Ms. Tanja Pacifico is the Chief of Mission of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Thailand. An Italian national, she joined IOM in 2009 and has worked across a wide range of migration issues, including labour migration, migration governance, border management, migration and development, and migration and environment. Prior to her assignment in Thailand, Ms. Pacifico served as Chief of Mission in Djibouti and Uruguay, and as Chief of Mission a.i. in Niger and Paraguay. She also served as Deputy Chief of Mission and Head of Policy, Governance and Liaison Unit in Egypt, and previously held positions in the Netherlands covering regional initiatives on migrant training, resettlement and integration. Ms. Pacifico is a graduate of the Università degli Studi di Torino.

Ms. Xiaoyan Qian is the Director of the ILO Decent Work Country Technical Support Team for East and South-East Asia and the Pacific and Country Office for Thailand, Cambodia, and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic. Ms. Qian joins the ILO after serving in the Chinese public sector for more than 25 years, including in the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United States, as well as most recently as the Deputy Director-General of the International Cooperation Department in the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. Previously, she assumed different roles in the Ministry over more than 15 years, including as Deputy Director for Overseas Employment Administration, Director for Technical Cooperation, and Director for International Treaties. Ms. Qian has a Doctor of Law from Nankai University, a Diploma of Graduate Studies in Foreign Service from Oxford University, a Master of Economics from Renmin University, and a Bachelor of Law from East China Normal University.