Robert Mardini (born 6 August 1972) is a Lebanese-

Swiss Swiss most commonly refers to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland * Swiss people Swiss may also refer to: Places * Swiss, Missouri * Swiss, North Carolina * Swiss, West Virginia * Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses * Swiss Café, an old café located ...

humanitarian and public health leader. He took up office as Director general of the University hospital of Geneva in September 2024; he previously served as Director-General of the

International Committee of the Red Cross The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a humanitarian organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, and is a three-time Nobel Prize laureate. The organization has played an instrumental role in the development of rules of war and ...

(ICRC) from 2020 to 2024.

Early life and education

Mardini was born and raised in

Tripoli, Lebanon Tripoli ( ; , , ; , ; see #Names, below) is the largest and most important city in North Lebanon, northern Lebanon and the second-largest city in the country. Situated north of the capital Beirut, it is the capital of the North Governorate ...

. He was educated at the Lycée Franco-Libanais Alphonse de Lamartine and at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland, where he was awarded a Master of Science in civil engineering and

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in 1996.

Professional career

Mardini joined the ICRC in 1997, coordinating water engineering programmes in

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and

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

, before leading the organization'
Water & Habitat Unit
with projects in over 40 countries, improving access to water, sanitation and hygiene services to around 14 million people per year. He went on to hold various senior positions within the organization, including Deputy Director General (2010–2012), Regional Director for the Near and Middle East (2012–2018) and Permanent Observer of the ICRC to the United Nations & Head of Delegation in New York (2018–2020). In this latter role, Mardini steered the ICRC's diplomatic engagement with the

UN Security Council The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN) and is charged with ensuring international peace and security, recommending the admission of new UN members to the General Assembly, an ...

, the

UN General Assembly The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA or GA; , AGNU or AG) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), serving as its main deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ. Currently in its 79th session, its powers, ...

, Member States and UN entities to influence decisions on humanitarian issues across policy themes and geographic contexts. He has spoken and published on a broad range of key issues such as armed conflict and humanitarian crisis in the Middle East; international humanitarian law; sexual violence in conflict; humanitarian action and counter-terrorism measures; the future of humanitarian action and digital transformation. Mardini was appointed ICRC Director-General in October 2019 , and took up his position on 30 March 2020. His tenure began during the COVID-19 pandemic, followed closely by the Russia-Ukraine international armed conflict, which precipitated a period of extraordinary humanitarian needs worldwide. At the same time, the gap between global humanitarian funding and needs widened to historical levels, with record shortfalls across the sector necessitating significant budget reductions. After almost three decades with the institution, Mardini completed his four-year mandate as Director General in March 2024.

Awards and recognition

In 2020, he received the EPFL Alumni Award, a distinction awarded to former graduates who have led exceptional careers, "in recognition of his skills, strategic vision, and commitment, which have shaped a distinguished career within one of the most essential international organizations, thereby directly contributing to the protection of human lives around the world." In 2021, Robert Mardini was elected life member of the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences - SATW, "in recognition of his ability to mobilize his teams to provide effective emergency aid to victims of major armed conflicts." Robert Mardini has been a member of the EPFL Strategic advisory board since 2022. He was appointed an Executive in Residence of the IMD

International Institute for Management Development International Institute for Management Development (IMD) is an independent academic institute with campuses in Lausanne, Switzerland and Singapore. IMD is known for its executive education and its proximity to business. In 2024, it named David B ...

in Lausanne in January 2024.

Personal life

Mardini has dual Lebanese and Swiss citizenship. He is married and has two daughters.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mardini, Robert 1972 births Living people Presidents of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Lebanese civil engineers People from Tripoli, Lebanon École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne alumni