Themba Kalua

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

ABOUT THEMBA KALUA

With over 20 years of experience in leadership for sustainable development, international cooperation, and strategy design and execution, I am deeply committed to fostering collective action to tackle complex challenges and drive transformative impact. My expertise spans a wide range of critical global issues, including climate change, environmental management, gender equality, poverty eradication, governance, digital transformation, peace and security, and humanitarian action.Throughout my career, I have partnered with governments, civil society, and international organizations, leveraging systems thinking methods, facilitation skills, and systemic leadership practices to mobilize diverse stakeholders toward shared goals. My approach combines proven strategy and management tools to lead high-performing teams and deliver measurable results that align with national and global priorities and add value to all partners involved.I am the Director for Pact for the Future Implementation in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General (EOSG), I lead a team responsible for the coordination, convening, and strategic oversight of efforts to implement the Pact for the Future working closely with UN Member States, the Office of the President of the General Assembly, UN entities, key stakeholders and other EOSG units. I provide strategic advice to the Secretary-General and EOSG leadership. My work also includes advocacy, outreach, and coalition-building to mobilize support for key actionsPrior to my current role, I served as the United Nations Resident Coordinator and Head of the UN Multi-Country Office in Samoa, which also covers the Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau. In this role, I led a team of 23 UN organizations in delivering integrated and systemic SDGs solutions aligned with national priorities and the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. My career spans senior leadership roles across at least seven UN organizations at country, regional, and global levels. These experiences have honed my ability to navigate diverse operational contexts and drive impactful, sustainable change.I hold an Executive MBA from the University of Cape Town (South Africa), a Master’s in Strategic Management from the University of Derby (UK), and a Bachelor’s in Environmental Science and Technology from the University of Malawi. I am currently pursuing a PhD at the University of Birmingham (UK), focusing on systems leadership for sustainable development.