Executive Director and founder of Femmes Africa Solidarité ( FAS ); contributed to the creation of the Mano River Women's Peace Network. Member of the African Union Women's Committee for Peace and Development; Vice-President of the African Union Women's Committee; and Chair of the United Nations Working Group on Peace in Geneva. Member of the Group of International Advisers to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Arnold Saltzman Professor of Professional Practice at Columbia University and Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution; Former French diplomat; United Nations' Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, 2000 - 2008. Member of the Cour des Comptes, Paris, 1976 - 2000; Chairman, Institut des hautes études de défense nationale, 1998 - 2000; Officer of the ‘Légion d'honneur' and Commander of the ‘Bundesverdienstkreuz'.

Secretary-General of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, from 2006; Norway Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, 2001 - 2005; Special Adviser to the President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Geneva, 1998 - 2001. Member of the Central Executive Committee of the Young Conservatives in Norway; ran the Conservative Party's national campaign for the EU referendum in 1994.

Elected Chairman of the Board of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue in 2008. Secretary-General of Fondation 1796, founded by the partners of Lombard Odier Darier Hentsch & Cie. Consultant in social sector strategies, organisational development and philanthropy; former Director, Foundation Strategy Group; former Senior Adviser, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Secretary General of Amnesty International (2001-2009); Senior Executive Officer to Mrs. Sadako Ogata, then UN High Commissioner for Refugees (1991-1995); Appointed UNHCR Chief of Mission in India in1995; Headed the UNHCR Centre for Research and Documentation in 1998 and led the UNHCR team in Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia during the Kosovo crisis in 1999. Appointed UNHCR Deputy Director of International Protection the same year.

Managing Partner, Lombard Odier Darier Hentsch & Cie; Represents the sixth generation at the head of the bank; heads the bank's investment and thematic research activities and leads the communication and philanthropic activities; Active on the board of several humanitarian organisations, businesses and foundations including the board of ETH ( Swiss Federal Institute of Science & Technology ); Co-author of several publications on family enterprise, wealth, philanthropy and investment.

Head of Europe and North America Division, Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 1986 - 1993; Ambassador to Japan, 1993 - 1997, and to the United Nations in New York, 1997 - 2004. Chairman of the Board of UNICEF, 2003; Member of the International Committee of the Red Cross, from 2006; member of the board of Schindler Holding AG, from 1980.

1983 - 2002, with Credit Suisse Group: domestic and international banking including Head, Geneva Region; Member, Executive Board, Private Banking and Financial Services;Chief Executive Officer, Private Banking International. Since 2002, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Banque Cantonale Vaudoise; Banque Piguet & Cie SA; Chairman of the Foundation Board of the Swiss Finance Institute; Member of the Council of Swiss National Bank; Member of the Board of Directors of Swiss Federal Railways; Ace Ltd; Renault
Finance SA; economiesuisse.

Long serving official with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees : former UNHCR Representative in Pakistan and Thailand; Controller; Director of Programmes, Support, Budget and Finance; and UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees, 1993 - 1999; Member of the Board of Trustees of the German Federal Foundation "Remembrance, Responsibility and the Future", 2000 - 2003; Interim Executive Director of UNOPS, 2003; Chairman of UN Iraq Security Accountability Panel, 2003.