Global Neighbours announces the appointment of Mr. Siddharth Chatterjee as Chief Executive Officer, effective 02 March 2026.
Mr. Chatterjee joins Global Neighbours following nearly three decades of distinguished international service at the highest levels of leadership. Most recently, he served as United Nations Resident Coordinator in China. As the UN Secretary-General’s senior-most representative in China, he led the United Nations in one of the world’s most strategically significant countries.
Mr. Chatterjee has served the UN in some of the most fragile parts of the world and has held senior leadership positions across development, humanitarian, peace operations, and international diplomacy. He previously served as UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya. He was the UNDP Resident Representative and UNFPA Representative in Kenya. His UN experience also includes serving as Regional Director for the Middle East and Europe at UNOPS in Denmark, Chief of Staff for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq, leadership positions with UNICEF in Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Indonesia and UN Peacekeeping in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
A defining milestone in his career at UNICEF was his central role in the demobilization of more than 3,500 child soldiers in South Sudan in 2001 — an unprecedented humanitarian operation conducted during active conflict.
Mr. Chatterjee has also served as Chief Diplomat at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Switzerland.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Chatterjee served as an officer in the Indian Army Special Forces and was decorated for bravery by the President of India in 1995.
A Visiting Professor at Schwarzman College and the prestigious Tsinghua University in China, he is also a commentator in international media including Newsweek, The Guardian, Reuters, Forbes, Al Jazeera, and CNN.
Mr. Chatterjee is a graduate of Princeton University, USA.
With his rare combination of operational depth, diplomatic acumen, intellectual leadership, experience and strategic vision, Mr. Chatterjee brings exceptional credibility and perspective to Global Neighbours.
The Board of Global Neighbours welcomes the appointment and looks forward to Mr. Chatterjee leading the organization to the next level. It expressed full confidence that under his leadership, the organization will further strengthen its role as a trusted platform for international dialogue and constructive engagement across regions at a time of increasing geopolitical complexity.
Global Neighbours is a Vienna-based think tank founded in 2022 by entrepreneur Ms. Jovanka Porsche, former Austrian Chancellor Mr. Christian Kern, and former German Vice Chancellor Mr. Philipp Rösler. The organization aims to build bridges between Europe, Asia, and other regions by creating a platform for fact-based dialogue among stakeholders in business, politics, and society. Through regular events, publications, and cooperation with universities and research institutes, Global Neighbours works to inform and empower decision-makers while promoting international cooperation to address global challenges.
