Christian Friis Bach

Christian Friis Bach
Christian Friis Bach
Secretary General of the Danish Refugee Council
	In office; 1 November 2017 – 24 April 2019
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	29 April 1966; Frederiksberg, Denmark
Political party	Social Liberal
Spouse(s)	Karin Friis Bach (m. 1989)
Children	3
Alma mater	The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University
Website	Official website

Christian Friis Bach (born 29 April 1966) is an author, lecturer and part-time farmer.

Early life and education

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.

Career

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.

References

"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.
"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.
Christian Friis Bach is DRC's next Secretary General Danish Refugee Council, press release of July 4, 2017.
Christian Friis Bach has stepped down from his role as Secretary General in the Danish Refugee Council Danish Refugee Council, press release of April 24, 2019.

External links

Biography on the website of the Danish Parliament (Folketinget)

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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[1] "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.

[2] "Friis Bach becomes part of the Social Liberal leadership (in danish)". Politiken. 26 November 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2014.

[3] Commission on Effective Development Cooperation with Africa Folketing.

[4] Christian Friis Bach is DRC's next Secretary General Danish Refugee Council, press release of July 4, 2017.

[5] Christian Friis Bach has stepped down from his role as Secretary General in the Danish Refugee Council Danish Refugee Council, press release of April 24, 2019.