Our Leadership

Knut Ostby

Knut Ostby took up his position as Resident Representative of UNDP Pakistan in January 2021. Prior to his appointment in Pakistan, Knut Ostby served as Director a.i. at the UNDP Oslo Governance Centre since February 2020. He has also served as a United Nations Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for 14 years in countries including Pakistan, Myanmar, Timor-Leste, Fiji (multi-country office), and Iran.

Mr. Ostby has extensive experience in development, human rights and humanitarian affairs across 17 countries. During his career with the United Nations, he has held leadership positions in Afghanistan, Malaysia, the Maldives, Kazakhstan, Pakistan and at headquarters in Copenhagen and New York.

He holds a Master of Science degree from the Norwegian Institute of Technology in Trondheim and has conducted studies in development theory with the University of Uppsala in Sweden.

Follow him at @knutostby

 

 

Aliona Niculita

Ms. Aliona Niculita assumed her functions as UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Pakistan on 26 August 2019. Her responsibility includes both programme and operations.

Ms. Aliona Niculita has more than 25 years of experience in development cooperation. Ms. Niculita has been associated as UNDP Resident Representative a.i. and Deputy Resident Representative in the Kyrgyz Republic since 2015, prior to which she held various positions in the field and headquarters such as Deputy Country Director in the Republic of Tajikistan, Senior Assistant Resident Representative and Programme Analyst in Moldova, South Coordinator in Kyrgyzstan, programme specialist on detail assignment in the Regional Bureau for Europe and CIS at HQ in New York.

Ms. Niculita started her career in 1993 as public servant with the Government of Moldova. Ms. Niculita holds degrees in law from the Law Academy and History from the State University of Moldova.

Follow her at @alionaniculita

 

 

Otgontsetseg Zundui

Ms. Otgontsetseg Zundui joined UNDP Pakistan as Operations Manager in September 2021.

She brings extensive experience and knowledge in business operations management with UN agencies and other reputable organizations. Before joining UNDP Pakistan, she worked as Common Premises/Services Coordinator with UNRCO in Myanmar, Operations Preparedness Specialist with UNDP Myanmar, and Operations Manager with UNDP Mongolia. She started her UN career with UNFPA Mongolia in 2008 after working with diplomatic and educational institutions for more than 15 years.

Ms. Zundui is Mongolian national and holds Master’s degree in International Affairs from Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, USA, Bachelor’s in business administration and Linguistics from Institute of Finance of Economics and Foreign Languages Institute, Mongolia.

Follow her at @OtgontsetsegZun