United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today announced the appointment of Alessandra Vellucci of Italy as Director of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, a field office of the Department of Public Information that provides service to the United Nations Office at Geneva and to Switzerland.  She assumed her duties on 1 June 2016.

With 25 years of experience in public information, communications, international relations and training acquired at the United Nations and externally, Ms. Vellucci has held progressively responsible positions since joining UNCTAD in 1991.  Prior to this appointment, Ms. Vellucci had served as Chief of the Intergovernmental Support Service in the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Geneva, since 2014.

Between 2010 and 2014, she served as Chief of the Press and External Relations Section and Deputy Spokesperson with UNIS Geneva.  Ms. Vellucci worked for UNCTAD in several positions for nearly 20 years, including as Chief of the Human Resources Development Section from 2007 to 2010; Training Officer from 2003 to 2007; Public Information Officer from 2000 to 2003; and Focal Point for Communication on Trade Efficiency from 1994 to 2000.

Ms. Vellucci has a post-graduate diploma in international relations from the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Switzerland and a degree in political science from the Libera Università Internazionale degli Studi Sociali in Italy.  She is fluent in English, French, Italian and Spanish.