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Kandeh Yumkella

Director-General, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Vienna

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Kandeh Yumkella Biography

In December 2005 Mr. Kandeh K. Yumkella was appointed as Director-General of UNIDO, having previously worked in various high-level policy positions in UNIDO, including as Special Adviser to two previous Directors-General and as Director of the Africa and Least Developed Countries Regional Bureau as well as Representative and Director of the first UNIDO Regional Office in Nigeria. He was re-appointed as Director-General of UNIDO for a second four-year term in December 2009.

Prior to working for UNIDO, he was the Minister for Trade, Industry and State Enterprises of the Republic of Sierra Leone from 1994-1995. Between 1987 and 1996, while furthering his studies, he held various academic positions at Michigan State University and the University of Illinois.

In recognition of his leadership and his passion for energy and environment-related causes, Kandeh Yumkella was appointed as Chair of UN-Energy in 2008 by the United Nations Secretary-General. UN-Energy brings together all the United Nations organizations dealing with energy issues. As its Chairman, Mr. Yumkella brought a renewed and vital focus to global energy issues and he helped to coordinate the United Nations response to energy issues.

In September 2011, Kandeh Yumkella was appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General as Co-Chair of the High-level Group on Sustainable Energy for All. This followed a decision by the United Nations General Assembly to designate 2012 as the International Year for Sustainable Energy for All. As Co-Chair of this High-level Group, Kandeh Yumkella helps to guide the initiative aimed at highlighting the need for universal access to energy as well as increased energy efficiency and enhanced deployment of renewable sources of energy.

At a High-level Event on the margins of the UN General Assembly meeting in New York on 24 September 2012, the Secretary-General announced Dr. Yumkella's appointment as his Special Representative for Sustainable Energy for All and chief executive of the initiative, responsible for planning and implementation of the initiative.

As Chair of the Secretary-General’s Advisory Group on Energy and Climate Change (AGECC) from 2008 to 2010, Kandeh Yumkella played a leading international role in identifying the lack of access to energy as a crucial constraint for development efforts. The Group’s report, which was issued in April 2010, confirmed the need to increase energy access, energy efficiency and renewable energy options in order to deal with the climate change challenge and realize the Millennium Development Goals.

More recently, Kandeh Yumkella has been appointed as a Member of the Rio+20 Principals Group, which is playing a crucial role in the preparations for the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. Since 2008 he has also been an active member of the United Nations Development Group (UNDG), which helps to set and coordinate the global development priorities of the United Nations.Under his leadership as Director-General, UNIDO has maintained a role as the largest provider of trade-related technical assistance to developing countries in the United Nations system. This assistance has enabled many developing countries to produce and export goods meeting international standards. Mr. Yumkella has also consistently championed the cause of cleaner production and strengthened the role of UNIDO as the second largest implementing agency in the United Nations system in helping countries to phase out ozone depleting substances under the Montreal Protocol. He also continues to provide leadership in deepening the programmatic and management reforms that have made UNIDO a model of reform in the United Nations system.

As special adviser to two former UNIDO Directors-General, he provided advice, leadership and strategic guidance on managing multilateral programmes, multicultural teams and interdisciplinary advisory services in fields such as institutional capacity-building, trade capacity-building, poverty reduction, industrial development dialogue and country-level donor coordination.

Prior to his appointment as Director-General, Kandeh Yumkella provided conceptual and operational leadership at national, subregional and regional levels and managed staff at UNIDO Headquarters and field offices related to Africa and LDCs. He also facilitated high-level policy dialogue, consensus-building, advocacy and diplomatic negotiations at conferences of Heads of State, including the African Union, the Conference of African Ministers of Industry (CAMI), and United Nations global conferences.

Kandeh Yumkella also has specialized executive and advisory experience in programme formulation, management and implementation and funds mobilization in fields such as private sector development, public-private sector dialogue and partnerships, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) support systems, capacity-building in industry and business associations, trade capacity-building, agro-industry and rural development.

In his experience he has facilitated international cooperation and strategic partnerships with bilateral and multilateral development agencies, including other United Nations agencies, and throughout his career he has consistently promoted interregional cooperation as well as South-South cooperation.

Mr. Yumkella is a strong believer that the most effective way to fight poverty is to strengthen the productive capacities of countries and peoples. He has advocated for pro-poor sustainable industrial and agribusiness development as a means of wealth and job creation and the economic empowerment of the poor. With his commitment to multilateralism and consensus-building, he has visited all regions during his period as UNIDO Director-General and he has travelled to over 50 countries to listen to regional political and private sector stakeholders. Mr. Yumkella is a firm believer in the linkage between “energy poverty” and “income poverty” in developing countries, and promotes the use of renewable energy to improve the productive capacities and welfare of rural communities.

Mr. Yumkella has participated in and/or delivered key policy speeches at numerous major international forums and events concerning global trade, development and climate change issues.

Minister for Trade, Industry and State Enterprises in Sierra Leone, with experience in trade, commerce and industrial policy formulation, implementation and monitoring as part of economic reform programmes. The portfolio also included deregulation, public enterprise reform and divestiture, promotion of cooperative societies and establishment of programmes for private sector and small and medium enterprise development.

Promoted market reforms and signed Sierra Leone's accession to the African Regional Standards Organization (ARSO).

Launched initiatives to promote private sector development, establishment of public-private sector partnership and dialogue mechanisms. Organized consultative processes between the government and the private sector for discussing constraints and obstacles to private sector growth with support from UNIDO, International Trade Centre (ITC), African Project Development Facility (APDF) and UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa (UNDP/RBA).

As co-chair of the Public Enterprise Reform and Divestiture Commission (the privatization council), supervised an internal review of the privatization programme and promoted local awareness-building and domestic private sector participation in the programme.

Served as a member of the ministerial-level structural adjustment monitoring committee which provided oversight on policy reforms dealing with rationalization of the civil service work force, judicial reform, petroleum product pricing, and monetization of the rice subsidy.

Development expert and former assistant professor with extensive research and teaching experience in agribusiness management and international agricultural development and trade. Published various articles, book chapters, staff working papers and policy briefs on crucial development issues related to economics, the international commodity trade, structural transformation in African agricultural and industrial sectors, as well as rural development, poverty alleviation, and environmental sustainability.

Mr. Yumkella has maintained links with various academic and research institutions, such as the Center for the Study of African Economies, Oxford University, and has given lectures to students and faculty at the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom; the United Nations University in Tokyo; the Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade; the Vienna Diplomatic Academy; Xavier Institute of Labor Relations (XLRI) in India; Seoul National University in Korea; Corvinus University in Budapest, Hungary; Michigan State University and University of Illinois of the USA.

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  • How do I book Kandeh Yumkella to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Kandeh Yumkella for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Kandeh Yumkella, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Kandeh Yumkella or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Kandeh Yumkella

    Speaking fees for Kandeh Yumkella, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Kandeh Yumkella are available upon request for live events and available upon request for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Kandeh Yumkella, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Kandeh Yumkella speak about?

    Kandeh Yumkella is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Creativity Speakers, Earth Day, Energy, Environment, Government, Green and Sustainability, International Relations, Leadership Speakers.
  • Where does Kandeh Yumkella travel from?

    Kandeh Yumkella generally travels from an undisclosed location, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Kandeh Yumkella’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Kandeh Yumkella for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Kandeh Yumkella for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Kandeh Yumkella or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

Director-General, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Vienna

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Kandeh Yumkella Biography

In December 2005 Mr. Kandeh K. Yumkella was appointed as Director-General of UNIDO, having previously worked in various high-level policy positions in UNIDO, including as Special Adviser to two previous Directors-General and as Director of the Africa and Least Developed Countries Regional Bureau as well as Representative and Director of the first UNIDO Regional Office in Nigeria. He was re-appointed as Director-General of UNIDO for a second four-year term in December 2009.

Prior to working for UNIDO, he was the Minister for Trade, Industry and State Enterprises of the Republic of Sierra Leone from 1994-1995. Between 1987 and 1996, while furthering his studies, he held various academic positions at Michigan State University and the University of Illinois.

In recognition of his leadership and his passion for energy and environment-related causes, Kandeh Yumkella was appointed as Chair of UN-Energy in 2008 by the United Nations Secretary-General. UN-Energy brings together all the United Nations organizations dealing with energy issues. As its Chairman, Mr. Yumkella brought a renewed and vital focus to global energy issues and he helped to coordinate the United Nations response to energy issues.

In September 2011, Kandeh Yumkella was appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General as Co-Chair of the High-level Group on Sustainable Energy for All. This followed a decision by the United Nations General Assembly to designate 2012 as the International Year for Sustainable Energy for All. As Co-Chair of this High-level Group, Kandeh Yumkella helps to guide the initiative aimed at highlighting the need for universal access to energy as well as increased energy efficiency and enhanced deployment of renewable sources of energy.

At a High-level Event on the margins of the UN General Assembly meeting in New York on 24 September 2012, the Secretary-General announced Dr. Yumkella's appointment as his Special Representative for Sustainable Energy for All and chief executive of the initiative, responsible for planning and implementation of the initiative.

As Chair of the Secretary-General’s Advisory Group on Energy and Climate Change (AGECC) from 2008 to 2010, Kandeh Yumkella played a leading international role in identifying the lack of access to energy as a crucial constraint for development efforts. The Group’s report, which was issued in April 2010, confirmed the need to increase energy access, energy efficiency and renewable energy options in order to deal with the climate change challenge and realize the Millennium Development Goals.

More recently, Kandeh Yumkella has been appointed as a Member of the Rio+20 Principals Group, which is playing a crucial role in the preparations for the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development. Since 2008 he has also been an active member of the United Nations Development Group (UNDG), which helps to set and coordinate the global development priorities of the United Nations.Under his leadership as Director-General, UNIDO has maintained a role as the largest provider of trade-related technical assistance to developing countries in the United Nations system. This assistance has enabled many developing countries to produce and export goods meeting international standards. Mr. Yumkella has also consistently championed the cause of cleaner production and strengthened the role of UNIDO as the second largest implementing agency in the United Nations system in helping countries to phase out ozone depleting substances under the Montreal Protocol. He also continues to provide leadership in deepening the programmatic and management reforms that have made UNIDO a model of reform in the United Nations system.

As special adviser to two former UNIDO Directors-General, he provided advice, leadership and strategic guidance on managing multilateral programmes, multicultural teams and interdisciplinary advisory services in fields such as institutional capacity-building, trade capacity-building, poverty reduction, industrial development dialogue and country-level donor coordination.

Prior to his appointment as Director-General, Kandeh Yumkella provided conceptual and operational leadership at national, subregional and regional levels and managed staff at UNIDO Headquarters and field offices related to Africa and LDCs. He also facilitated high-level policy dialogue, consensus-building, advocacy and diplomatic negotiations at conferences of Heads of State, including the African Union, the Conference of African Ministers of Industry (CAMI), and United Nations global conferences.

Kandeh Yumkella also has specialized executive and advisory experience in programme formulation, management and implementation and funds mobilization in fields such as private sector development, public-private sector dialogue and partnerships, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) support systems, capacity-building in industry and business associations, trade capacity-building, agro-industry and rural development.

In his experience he has facilitated international cooperation and strategic partnerships with bilateral and multilateral development agencies, including other United Nations agencies, and throughout his career he has consistently promoted interregional cooperation as well as South-South cooperation.

Mr. Yumkella is a strong believer that the most effective way to fight poverty is to strengthen the productive capacities of countries and peoples. He has advocated for pro-poor sustainable industrial and agribusiness development as a means of wealth and job creation and the economic empowerment of the poor. With his commitment to multilateralism and consensus-building, he has visited all regions during his period as UNIDO Director-General and he has travelled to over 50 countries to listen to regional political and private sector stakeholders. Mr. Yumkella is a firm believer in the linkage between “energy poverty” and “income poverty” in developing countries, and promotes the use of renewable energy to improve the productive capacities and welfare of rural communities.

Mr. Yumkella has participated in and/or delivered key policy speeches at numerous major international forums and events concerning global trade, development and climate change issues.

Minister for Trade, Industry and State Enterprises in Sierra Leone, with experience in trade, commerce and industrial policy formulation, implementation and monitoring as part of economic reform programmes. The portfolio also included deregulation, public enterprise reform and divestiture, promotion of cooperative societies and establishment of programmes for private sector and small and medium enterprise development.

Promoted market reforms and signed Sierra Leone's accession to the African Regional Standards Organization (ARSO).

Launched initiatives to promote private sector development, establishment of public-private sector partnership and dialogue mechanisms. Organized consultative processes between the government and the private sector for discussing constraints and obstacles to private sector growth with support from UNIDO, International Trade Centre (ITC), African Project Development Facility (APDF) and UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa (UNDP/RBA).

As co-chair of the Public Enterprise Reform and Divestiture Commission (the privatization council), supervised an internal review of the privatization programme and promoted local awareness-building and domestic private sector participation in the programme.

Served as a member of the ministerial-level structural adjustment monitoring committee which provided oversight on policy reforms dealing with rationalization of the civil service work force, judicial reform, petroleum product pricing, and monetization of the rice subsidy.

Development expert and former assistant professor with extensive research and teaching experience in agribusiness management and international agricultural development and trade. Published various articles, book chapters, staff working papers and policy briefs on crucial development issues related to economics, the international commodity trade, structural transformation in African agricultural and industrial sectors, as well as rural development, poverty alleviation, and environmental sustainability.

Mr. Yumkella has maintained links with various academic and research institutions, such as the Center for the Study of African Economies, Oxford University, and has given lectures to students and faculty at the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom; the United Nations University in Tokyo; the Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade; the Vienna Diplomatic Academy; Xavier Institute of Labor Relations (XLRI) in India; Seoul National University in Korea; Corvinus University in Budapest, Hungary; Michigan State University and University of Illinois of the USA.

Kandeh Yumkella Videos

  • UNIDO DG Kandeh Yumkella Opens the Vienna Energy Forum 2013
  • Keynote Speech Kandeh Yumkella, Vienna R20 Conference 2013 ...

FAQs on booking Kandeh Yumkella

  • How do I book Kandeh Yumkella to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Kandeh Yumkella for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Kandeh Yumkella, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Kandeh Yumkella or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Kandeh Yumkella

    Speaking fees for Kandeh Yumkella, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Kandeh Yumkella are available upon request for live events and available upon request for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Kandeh Yumkella, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Kandeh Yumkella speak about?

    Kandeh Yumkella is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Creativity Speakers, Earth Day, Energy, Environment, Government, Green and Sustainability, International Relations, Leadership Speakers.
  • Where does Kandeh Yumkella travel from?

    Kandeh Yumkella generally travels from an undisclosed location, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Kandeh Yumkella’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Kandeh Yumkella for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Kandeh Yumkella for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Kandeh Yumkella or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Kandeh Yumkella is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Kandeh Yumkella for your event is available upon request. Kandeh Yumkella generally travels from and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Van Jones, Dr. Eckart Woertz, Dambisa Moyo, Robert Bryce and Bjorn Lomborg. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Kandeh Yumkella for an upcoming live or virtual event.

Kandeh Yumkella Speaker Videos

  • UNIDO DG Kandeh Yumkella Opens the Vienna Energy Forum 2013
    Keynote Speech Kandeh Yumkella, Vienna R20 Conference 2013 ...

Tell us about your event!

During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

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Speakers Similar to Kandeh Yumkella

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

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