Monique Barbut
Mrs. Barbut was appointed as CEO and Chairperson of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) by a unanimous decision of the GEF Council in June, 2006, and began her tenure on August 1, 2006. In that role, she has been at the helm of the GEF following its fourth replenishment at a level of $3.13 billion, and has undertaken a revitalization of the GEF organization to make it a more effective, responsive and results-based institution.
Prior to joining the GEF, Mrs. Barbut served as Director, Division of Technology Industry and Economics, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) from September 2003 to July 2006, where she undertook a reorganization of the Division and established a pragmatic approach to ensuring the link between environment and economics, setting up development policies and pilot projects, including in developing countries or countries experiencing critical backgrounds (China and Iraq).
Before that appointment, at the Agence Francaise de Developpement Group (AFD), France’s principal executing agency for project aid, Mrs. Barbut was in charge of operations with the French overseas departments and territories, serving as Executive Director for all Caribbean, Pacific and Indian Ocean activities.