William Axelsson

William Axelsson is the Head of the New York Board and External Relations Office at UNOPS, the operational arm of the United Nations that supports countries in implementing sustainable development solutions. With an MBA and over 25 years of experience in consulting, project management, and international cooperation, he is a seasoned leader with expertise in complex global contexts.

In his current role, he is responsible for developing, maintaining, and advancing relationships with Member States and critical stakeholders in the UN system, as well as supporting the Executive Board of UNDP, UNFPA, and UNOPS on behalf of the UNOPS Executive Director. He is also a member of the Global Leadership Group and the Digitalisation Task Force at the corporate level. Previously, he led the UNOPS Geneva office, where he supervised a global portfolio of funds, hosted-initiatives and services, supporting key UN partners and initiatives in addressing humanitarian, environmental, and developmental challenges. He also headed the UNOPS liaison office to the European Union in Brussels, where he significantly grew the size of the partnership and built relationships at senior levels.

William is a world citizen who values doing things right, focusing equally on the how and the what. He brings a wealth of hands-on experience and a progressive mindset to his work, always looking for ways to transform ideas into outcomes and sustainable impacts. He embraces diversity and seeks to find similarities rather than differences between people. He is passionate about making a positive difference in the world and contributing to the global goals.