Renata Dwan Joins as Deputy Director and Senior Executive Officer

19 Aug 2020 03:17 PM

Renata Dwan has been appointed deputy director and senior executive officer of Chatham House.

Starting in November, she will oversee the delivery of its research agenda following a period of extensive growth for the institute and at a time of profound change in international affairs. She will also drive sustained collaboration across the institute towards the goals it has set for the start of its second century.

Renata brings a valuable mix of multilateral, thematic and managerial experience to the institute’s executive leadership team. She joins Chatham House from the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) in Geneva, where she has served as director since March 2018. In this capacity, she doubled the size of its research teams and built new programmes linking arms control to conflict management, gender and emerging technologies.

Renata joined the UN in 2005 where she worked on peace operations and complex emergencies at UN Headquarters and in the field, including in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Mali and Syria. She also led major UN-wide policy reviews on peacekeeping, security sector reform and crisis management capacities.

Prior to joining the UN, Renata was head of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s Programme on Armed Conflict and Conflict Management. She previously held positions with the European Union Council Secretariat in Brussels and the EastWest Institute in Budapest.

Lord O’Neill, chair of Chatham House, says: 'Renata Dwan joins Chatham House at a pivotal moment for the institute. Today’s mix of geopolitical tensions and global challenges gives even stronger licence to Chatham House’s purpose. The institute needs to offer more integrated ways forward to help advance our research agenda. I believe Renata’s mix of experience – on the ground and in complex institutional settings – will help us to do precisely that.'

Robin Niblett, director and chief executive of Chatham House, says: 'I am delighted to welcome Renata to Chatham House. The institute’s commitment to cooperative international relations and sustainable and accountable forms of governance is all the more important today, and Renata has the vision and skills to help us live up to this commitment. Renata’s operational experience will also be a great asset as we think how best to organize ourselves for a much more complex future.'

Renata Dwan says:

“I am excited to be joining Chatham House at this critical time for global governance. Rarely has there been a greater need for the high quality, independent and global policy research for which Chatham House is so rightly renowned. I look forward to supporting Robin and all of his colleagues in convening and developing the ideas that will help transform today’s fractured world.”

Renata Dwan will join Chatham House on November 16, 2020. As deputy director, she will oversee the work of the institute’s 12 research teams and promote collaboration towards their shared goals. As the senior executive officer, Renata will work with the executive leadership team to further strengthen Chatham House’s operational effectiveness and resilience.