John Hendra

As such, he played a key role in the preparation of UN Secretary-General Anotonio Gueterres’ two seminal reform reports on “Repositioning the UN Development System to Deliver on the 2030 Agenda” - Ensuring a Better Future for All (July 2017) and Our Promise for Dignity, Prosperity and Peace on a Healthy Planet (December, 2017). He also substantively supported the intergovernmental negotiations in the UN General Assembly on the repositioning of the UNDS which resulted in the landmark GA Resolution (72/279; May 2018) which has ushered in perhaps the most comprehensive reform of the UN Development System in decades. Over this period he also provided advisory support to the UNDG, to individual UN Agencies and to UN Resident Coordinators and UN country teams around the world.

Prior to this position he served from 2011-2014 as UN Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director, Policy and Programme, at the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). He was appointed by the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon on 11 March 2011. John has also been closely involved in the process of formulating the 2030 Agenda, including as a member of the Informal Senior Coordination Group (2012-2014) and as Co-Chair of the UN Development Group's MDG Task Force. He also recently served as Co-Chair of the UN Leadership Group.

As Deputy Executive Director for Policy and Programme at UN Women, he oversaw a major change management effort which included development of the first two Strategic Plans (2011-2013 and 2014-2017) and provided strategic guidance to the design and implementation of UN Women's overall programme and its new regional architecture. He also helped lead UN Women's global policy work and engaged in extensive public advocacy on women's rights, putting gender equality at the heart of the new sustainable development agenda, the impact of austerity policies on women and the imperative of addressing care work, among other areas.

John Hendra was awarded the Three Star Order of Latvia in 1997 and Vietnam's Friendship Medal in 2011. He was also awarded six medals in May 2011 for his contributions over the preceding five-year period (2006-2011) to Vietnam's progress in gender equality and women's empowerment, social protection and poverty reduction, development planning and public investment, access to justice and legal reform, agriculture, rural development and disaster prevention and addressing climate change.

Before joining UN Women, John Hendra served the United Nations in many countries including 13 years as UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative (most senior UN official in-country) in Latvia (1993-1997), in Tanzania (2002-2006) and in Vietnam (2006-2011). John has extensive experience and demonstrated achievement in UN reform, having served as UN Resident Coordinator in two of the most complex development environments: in Tanzania, where he helped develop a more coherent international response to national priorities and the new aid environment; and in Vietnam, where he led perhaps the most ambitious and comprehensive UN reform effort ever at country level, the "Delivering as One" Initiative.

John Hendra was born in Calgary, Canada, in 1960 and is married to Robin Benitz. They have two children Julia and Alison. John has an MA in Development Studies from the University of Toronto (1985) and an Honours BA from Queen's University (1982). He also served as a Yale World Fellow in 2009 and is an avid ice hockey fan. Mr. Hendra ditched his long time team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and switched to cheering for the New York Rangers after moving to New York City. Mr. Hendra may regret that decision as the Leafs are on the verge of becoming a Stanley Cup contender as they enter the 2017-2018 season.