Press release

Paul De Lay and Jan Beagle appointed as UNAIDS’ new Deputy Executive Directors


GENEVA, 23 June 2009 – The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Dr Paul De Lay and Ms Jan Beagle as the Deputy Executive Directors of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). Dr De Lay will be responsible for overseeing UNAIDS’ programmatic aspects and Ms Beagle for management and external relations. “I look forward to working closely with Dr Paul De Lay and Ms Jan Beagle as we increase UNAIDS’ support to countries in reaching their universal access goals,” said UNAIDS Executive Director Mr Michel Sidibé. “They are both leaders, and they will help increase the effectiveness of UNAIDS”.

Dr Paul De Lay has been engaged in strategic planning, implementing and monitoring national and international AIDS programmes for more than a decade. Dr De Lay has been acting Deputy Executive Director of UNAIDS since 8 January 2009; he joined the joint programme in 2003. His responsibilities as UNAIDS’ Director of Evidence, Monitoring and Evaluation involved directing UNAIDS’ role in monitoring the status of the epidemic, promoting the production of strategic information on the HIV epidemic in terms of the level and quality of prevention and treatment efforts and the impact of the response, and annual reporting to the UN Secretary-General on progress toward achieving the 2001 UN General Assembly Special Session Declaration of Commitment.

Dr De Lay is a medical doctor with training and experience in family practice, infectious and tropical diseases, epidemiology, preventive medicine, and public health. He practiced clinical medicine for 15 years. He has also previously served as Chief of the HIV/AIDS Division at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and worked with the Global Programme on AIDS at the World Health Organization.

Ms Jan Beagle is currently the Deputy Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG). With more than 30 years of experience in the political, development, management, administrative, and inter-agency areas of the United Nations, Ms Beagle has also served as the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Resources Management of the United Nations from October 2005 to 2007. In this capacity, she led the development of the comprehensive human resources management reform strategy “Investing in People”.

Before joining the UN in 1979, Ms Beagle served in her country’s diplomatic service, including five years as a delegate of New Zealand to the UN. Ms Beagle has a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in history and international relations from the University of Auckland.

Press centre

Cosponsors