The reforms being implemented have introduced leaner and more efficient structures - with clearer responsibilities. Among other things, five directorates were reduced to four, managers empowered and flexible working arrangements confirmed.

In the picture, the new leadership team:

On the right, Deputy to the Director General, Mr. Zou, managing the Directorate of Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development, including research, statistics and capacity building.

Deputy to the Director General, Mr. Yasunaga, managing the Directorate of Corporate Services and Operations.

Deputy to the Director General,  Ms. Haidara, managing the Directorate of Global Partnerships and External Relations.

Mr. Beger, managing the Directorate of SDG Innovation and Economic Transformation, with the function to mainstream new special initiatives across the house.

On the left, DG Müller with Chief of Cabinet Josef Karl Pelikan and Manuel Mattiat, head of DG’s Office.

The Deputies to the Director General also have regional responsibilities – particularly for strategy development – on top of their thematic focus.

With the reform, new goals & focus areas have been defined:

• Special activities in areas such as industrial decarbonization and energy transition, green hydrogen,  food security & agri-business and sustainable supply chains.
• Intensified cooperation with the private sector.
• Better Response to global challenges through enhanced focus on digitalization particularly through the new UNIDO Innovation lab.
• Expansion of Technical Cooperation.
• Leaner, up-to-date processes focusing on efficiency, cost recovery, corporate services, risk management and field structure reform.

Leadership Retreat

In February 2023, the leadership team gathered together with the rest of UNIDO senior management to discuss the further implementation of the new UNIDO strategy.

The focus was on:

• Stocktaking of the reform process
• Further strengthening technical cooperation delivery
• Progress on special initiatives in priority areas
• External relations and the field structure
• Communications and visibility.

Townhall Meetings

The reform process has demanded much from the entire UNIDO staff. But with resilience and perseverance we are getting it done and making UNIDO fit for the future.

We want to further strengthen the strong team spirit that prevails in the organization. That is why our recent townhall meetings have offered the opportunity to discuss all questions relating to the reform process and to connect with each other. Teamwork is key!

In Summary:

In November 2022, Director General Gerd Müller presented the restructuring of UNIDO to the 50th session of the Industrial Development Board. To modernize the organization, UNIDO will:

• focus on revised and sharpened strategic priorities
• become more efficient and efficacious
• enhance provision of services to Member States.

The aim is to strengthen UNIDO as a leading global platform for knowledge and technology transfer, able to ever more effectively respond to global challenges, and to build new partnerships while expanding existing ones.