Christian Friis Bach

Friis Bach was born in 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.

Mr Bach served as Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) from the 9 July 2014 until May 2017.[1]. He was previously Member of the Parliament of Denmark and Head of the Parliamentarian Group for the Social Liberal Party.[2] He served as Minister for Development Cooperation of Denmark (2011-2013) in the Cabinet of Helle Thorning-Schmidt.

He has been Honorary Professor of International Economics and Development at the University of Copenhagen (2009-2014), 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) (currently University of Copenhagen).

He has served as Special Advisor to the European Commission, Commissioner Connie Hedegaard, in relation to the United Nations Global Sustainability Panel (2010-2011) and was 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.[3]

Mr Bach has a long history with civil society, notably as the International Director for DanChurchAid (2005-2010), as Chairman of the Danish Association for International Cooperation (1997-2001) (Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke) and from 1997-2001 and Secretary-General of the Danish Refugee Council (DRC)[4] the 1st of November 2017 from 2017-2019 [5]. . He was one of the key drivers behind the Danish Fair Trade movement (Max Havelaar Fonden later converted to Fair Trade Denmark, https://fairtradedanmark.dk/) in the early 1990’ies and helped to establish the Danish Ethical Trading Initiative and DanWatch. He also has private sector experience from running two start-up companies (https://viewworld.net/ and http://worldbarrow.dk/) and has worked as a journalist at the Danish Broadcasting Corporation.

He has published a number of books and articles, both scientific and popular.

Christian Friis Bach has been married to Karin Friis Bach since 1991. They have three grown-up children (born 1991, 1993 and 1999). In their spare time, they run a part-time farm with cows and horses 25 km from Copenhagen.

• Biography on the website of the Danish Parliament (Folketinget)