ROME – The President of the Executive Board of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), Her Excellency Ms. Carla Barroso Carneiro, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Brazil, on behalf of the Executive Board Bureau, has welcomed the start of Carl Skau’s role as Acting Executive Director of WFP and expressed its full confidence in his leadership during the transition period.
Skau takes over from Executive Director Cindy McCain. He will head the organization temporarily until a new Executive Director is appointed. Since May 2023, Skau has served as WFP’s Deputy Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer; roles that he will retain during this transitional period.
“Carl is an accomplished leader, and we look forward to working closely with him at this pivotal moment in the global fight against hunger,” Barroso said. “With a record number of people facing acute food insecurity, he has our full backing to lead WFP’s critical mission to deliver life-saving assistance and support to vulnerable families worldwide.”
Skau has been leading the organization’s overall coordination, strategic direction, humanitarian diplomacy and support for field operations. He has travelled extensively this past year to Afghanistan, Sudan, Lebanon, Ukraine, and Palestine, speaking with WFP frontline staff, people in need, government counterparts and partners.
A Swedish national with more than 25 years of experience in diplomacy, humanitarian affairs and development, Skau previously headed Multilateral Partnerships at the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs and served as Sweden’s Ambassador and Alternate Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York during the country’s term on the UN Security Council. Skau began his career with UNHCR and UNDP.
