New York, Monday 21 November. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Ms. Michelle Muschett of Panama as UN Assistant Secretary-General, Assistant Administrator and the new Director of the Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Michelle Muschett is a social policy and global development specialist with multisectoral experience in a wide variety of leadership positions. 

During her tenure as Deputy Minister and Minister of Social Development of Panama, Ms. Muschett led the process of developing the first national Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), the creation of the first Childhood MPI in the Latin America region, and the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the national level through civic participation and strategic partnerships. She also chaired the National Concertation Council for Development, a legally established dialogue space aimed at building consensus amongst different sectors of society on national development priorities.

She succeeds Mr. Luis Felipe López Calva of Mexico who is currently serving as the new Global Director for the World Bank Group’s Poverty and Equity Global Practice in the Equitable Growth, Finance, and Institutions Vice Presidency.

Welcoming the new appointment, UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner said, “I am delighted to welcome Ms. Michelle Muschett to UNDP as we work alongside countries and communities in a range of vital areas, from reducing poverty and inequalities to advancing decisive climate action. Ultimately, this approach aims to allow countries across Latin America and the Caribbean to make giant leaps forward in their human development pathways while improving the health and wellbeing of our natural world.”

“I would also like to express my heartfelt thanks to Luis Felipe López Calva for his leadership, commitment and years of dedicated service to UNDP and people across the region," added Mr. Steiner.

Ms. Muschett is currently serving as Senior Public Policy Advisor and Executive Education Director for Oxford’s Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), advising governments and policymakers from Africa, Asia, and Latin America in their efforts to address multidimensional poverty. She is also Senior Policy and Strategy Advisor for the Fourth Sector Group, providing guidance on how to mobilize collective leadership and action to scale business models that can deliver social and environmental benefits, and to leverage development finance to accelerate the transition towards more inclusive, sustainable and resilient economic systems globally.

She has been a visiting professor and lecturer at academic institutions across Asia, Europe, and Latin America, focusing on human and social development, politics of the policy process, political innovation, and leadership for global citizenship.  She is a Fellow of the Central America Leadership Initiative, a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network and a member the International Women’s Forum, Panama Chapter.

As a practicing lawyer, Ms. Muschett focuses on issues related to commercial law and international arbitration. She has also participated in the drafting of national legislation.

Ms. Muschett holds a master’s degrees in Public Administration from Cornell University, United States; Commercial Law from Externado University of Colombia; and Management of Heritage and Cultural Projects from the Institute for Art and Restauration Palazzo Spinelli, Italy. She speaks Spanish, English, and Italian.