Carlos Lopes is a Professor at the Mandela School of Public Governance, University of Cape Town, Visiting Professor at Sciences Po, Paris, and a Chatham House Associate Fellow. During 2017, he was twice a Visiting Fellow of the Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford. Prof Lopes has occupied several leadership positions across the United Nations system, including Policy Director for Secretary-General Kofi Annan; head of UNDP’s policy bureau; head of UNITAR and the UN System Staff College; UN Resident Coordinator in Zimbabwe and Brazil; and the 8th Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (2012-2016).
He has been selected as a member of the African Union Reform team and AU High Representative for Partnerships with Europe. He has served in the Global Commission for Economy and Climate, the Global Commission for the Future of Work, the Global Commission on the Geostrategy of Energy Transformation, and the Commission for Illicit Financial Flows from Africa. Prof Lopes is an award winner widely published author, with over 20 edited or authored books and featured articles in main media vehicles.