Christian Friis Bach
Christian Friis Bach | |
---|---|
File:CFB pressebillede af Agnete Schlichtkrull.jpg | |
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 | Frederiksberg, Denmark | 29 April 1966
Political party | Social Liberal |
Spouse | 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
- ^ "Friis Bach becomes part of the Social Liberal leadership (in danish)". Politiken. 26 November 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
- ^ Commission on Effective Development Cooperation with Africa Folketing.
- ^ "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.
- ^ Christian Friis Bach is DRC's next Secretary General Danish Refugee Council, press release of July 4, 2017.