Jan Egeland

Jan Egeland's career is marked by a series of firsts and high-level appointments that set him apart in the humanitarian field. He was the UN's top emergency relief official during one of the most disaster-prone periods in recent history, coordinating responses to the 2004 tsunami and the Darfur crisis. His leadership helped reform how the UN handles humanitarian emergencies.At the Norwegian Refugee Council, he has led one of the largest refugee organizations in the world, overseeing operations in dozens of countries. His advocacy has been credited with keeping global attention on forgotten crises, from Afghanistan to Sudan. He has also shaped Norwegian foreign policy and mentored a generation of humanitarian workers through his teaching at the University of Stavanger.