Anne-Birgitte Albrectsen
As a Managing Director and Partner at LEAD, Anne-Birgitte brings over 30 years of top-level experience from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the United Nations, civil society, and private foundations. She has led major internal transformation processes and has played a key external role in advancing human rights and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a strong focus on women’s and children’s rights, education, and health.
Anne-Birgitte has founded and developed several global partnerships and holds extensive board experience, including as Chair. At LEAD, she focuses on international clients, including UN agencies, EU institutions, and other multilateral organizations.
Anne-Birgitte’s areas of specialization include:
- Leadership of organizational transformation in global multilateral institutions
- High-level facilitation of breakthroughs in complex multi-stakeholder processes
- Inclusive strategy development and implementation
- Leadership succession planning and development programs
- Executive team development and coaching
In addition, Anne-Birgitte brings deep expertise in organizational culture, inclusive leadership, gender equality, and DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), as well as broader corporate social responsibility. Her work is characterized by the integration of hands-on leadership experience with current research in her areas of focus.
Experience working in the United Nations system
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Professional Experience
2022 – Present. Managing Director and Partner at ABA Global & LEAD
2021 – 2022 CEO, The LEGO Foundation, Billund
2015 – 2021 CEO, Plan International, London, United Kingdom
2012 – 2015 Deputy Executive Director, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), New York, USA
2009 – 2012 Head of Department, Resource Centre (RES), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Copenhagen
2007 – 2009 Head of Division, Humanitarian Affairs and NGO Cooperation (HUM), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Copenhagen
2006 – 2007 Senior Advisor, Quality Assurance (KVA), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Copenhagen
2004 – 2006 Regional Director, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Turkey
Board Experience
2023 – present – Chair of the Board, BetterChoice
2023 – present – Chair of the Board, CAMFED
2020 – present – Advisory Board Member, Global Institute for Women’s Leadership, King’s College London
2017–2021 – Chair of the Board, Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data (GPSDD)
2019–2020 – Chair of the Board, International Civil Society Centre (ICSC)
2020–2021 – Board Member, The LEGO Foundation
2018–2021 – Member of Global Leadership Council, Generation Unlimited
2017–2018 – Board Member, Poul Due Jensen Foundation
2013–2015 – Board Member, UN System Staff College
Anne-Birgitte Albrectsen Experience in the United Nations system
Anne-Birgitte Albrectsen (AB) is an internationally recognized leader with extensive hands-on experience in the United Nations system and deep expertise in advancing its core mandates. With over 30 years of executive leadership across multilateral organizations, AB has played an important role in driving progress on human rights, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), gender equality, education, and health.
AB has founded and developed several global partnerships and has extensive board experience, including as Chair. Her career includes senior roles within the UN system – both at headquarters and regional levels – where she led major transformation processes, advanced cross-agency collaboration, and shaped strategies for inclusive development. At LEAD, Anne-Birgitte serves as Managing Director & Partner for Culture, Society, and Global Challenges. In this role, she works with international clients – including UN agencies, EU institutions, and other multilateral organizations – advising on the development of themes such as organizational culture, inclusive leadership, gender equality, DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), and broader corporate social responsibility.
AB’s areas of specialization include:
- Leading organizational change in complex international environments
- Facilitating breakthroughs in multi-stakeholder negotiations
- Developing inclusive strategies aligned with global goals
- Designing and implementing comprehensive leadership development programs to ensure organizational continuity and future-ready talent.
- Coaching executive teams for high-impact leadership
Anne-Birgitte combines hands-on leadership from some of the world’s most influential organizations with deep insight into global trends and priorities as well as the current research in her areas of focus. Her work bridges sectors and geographies, consistently delivering results through collaboration, innovation, and an unwavering focus on impact.