Christian Friis Bach

Christian Friis Bach
Secretary General of the Danish Refugee Council
Assumed office
1 November 2017
Preceded by Andreas Kamm
Executive Secretary of UNECE
In office
9 July 2014 – June 2017
Preceded by Sven Alkalaj
Succeeded by Olga Algayerova
Minister for Development Cooperation of Denmark
In office
3 October 2011 – 21 November 2013
Preceded by Søren Pind
Succeeded by Rasmus Helveg Petersen
Member of the Danish Parliament
In office
15 September 2011 – 31 July 2014
Personal details
Born (1966-04-29) 29 April 1966
Frederiksberg, Denmark
Political party Social Liberal
Spouse(s) Karin Friis Bach (1989–present)
Children Three children
Alma mater The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University
Website Official website

Christian Friis Bach (born 29 April 1966) is the Secretary General of the Danish Refugee Council.

Early life and education

Friis Bach was born on Frederiksberg in Denmark. He holds a Ph.D. in International Economics (1996) and an MSc in Agronomics (1992) from the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University in Copenhagen. In 1991 he took a Supplementary degree in journalism at the Danish School of Media and Journalism.

Career

Early in his career, Christian Friis Bach served as Assistant Professor in Development Economics at the University of Copenhagen's Institute of Economics (1996 - 1999) followed by six years as Associate Professor in International and Development Economics at the Royal Danish Agricultural University (1999-2005).

Friis Bach served as Chairman of the Danish Association for International Cooperation (Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke) from 1997-2001, and took the seat as International Director of DanChurchAid from 2005-2010. Being an entrepreneur he established the companies Viewworld (a data collection and management company) and Worldbarrow.

In 2006 Friis Bach was elected to the Parliament of Denmark (Folketinget). Here, he served as the deputy parliamentary group leader of the Social Liberal Party and as the party's spokesperson on foreign affairs.[1] During that time, he was also a member of then Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen’s Commission on Effective Development Cooperation with Africa, which held meetings between April and October 2008.[2]

From 2011 to 2013 Friis Bach served as Minister for Development Cooperation of Denmark in the Cabinet of Helle Thorning-Schmidt. He was also an MP in the Danish Parliament. He submitted his resignation from his parliamentary seat in 2014.

On 9 July 2014, Friis Bach was appointed Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and held this position until May 2017.[3]

In July 2017, Friis Bach was selected to take over as Secretary General of the Danish Refugee Council (DRC).[4]. He took over the position from Andreas Kamm on November 2017.

Personal life

Christian Friis Bach is married to Karin Friis Bach. The couple has three children. In their spare time, they run a hobby farm with cows and horses.

References

  1. ↑ "Friis Bach becomes part of the Social Liberal leadership (in danish)". Politiken. 26 November 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  2. ↑ Commission on Effective Development Cooperation with Africa Folketing.
  3. ↑ "Secretary-General Appoints Christian Friis Bach of Denmark Executive Secretary of U.N.E.C.E." Un.org. 19 July 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  4. ↑ Christian Friis Bach is DRC's next Secretary General Danish Refugee Council, press release of July 4, 2017.
Political offices
Preceded by
Søren Pind		 Minister for Development Cooperation
3 October 2011–21 November 2013		 Succeeded by
Rasmus Helveg Petersen


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