Dr. Catharina Boehme has taken up a new senior leadership role as Deputy Executive Director (Programme) at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
Boehme, a German national, was appointed by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres as an Assistant Secretary-General to serve as Deputy Executive Director (Programme) at UNFPA. She succeeds Diene Keita, who became UNFPA Executive Director in August 2025.
Before joining UNFPA, Boehme served as Acting Regional Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) South-East Asia Region from July 2025. She previously held senior positions at WHO, including Assistant Director-General for External Relations and Governance and Chef de Cabinet. She also served as Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) from 2013 to 2021.
A medically trained professional, Boehme holds a Doctor of Medicine from Heidelberg University and a Diploma in Public Health from Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Her experience spans global health, development, humanitarian action and multilateral governance.
In her new role, she will provide strategic leadership for UNFPA’s programme and humanitarian portfolio and work closely with the Executive Director on the organisation’s global mandate. The position also carries the rank of United Nations Assistant Secretary-General.
