Former senior Irish diplomat. Served as Irish Ambassador to Russia, Germany, Austria and
the United Nations; earlier postings to Rome, Paris, Bonn and London.
Involved for many years in the Northern Ireland peace process; member of the Irish Government team which negotiated the “Good Friday Agreement” (1998).
As Ambassador to the United Nations (2013-17), led, with Kenya, the UN negotiations in 2014-15 which delivered the Sustainable Development Goals and the wider 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Also co- chaired the UN negotiations which led to the “New York Declaration on Migrants and Refugees” (2016).
Active over the past decade in think-tanks and academic and civil society settings on issues
relating to sustainable development. Co-author of “Negotiating the Sustainable Development Goals” (Routledge, 2016). Author of various articles, and contributor to many
conferences and webinars, on sustainable development issues. Distinguished Fellow of ODI (London); Fellow of Robert Bosch Academy (Berlin). Member of the global Leadership Council of SDSN; chair of the executive committee of SDSN Ireland. Contributed a foreword to the 2026 edition of Europe Sustainable Development Report.