Who will be the next Secretary General of the United Nations?
Who will be the next Secretary General of the United Nations?
Podcast with Loïc Simonet
May 2026
The designation of a new UNSG, and Antonio Guterres’s successor, comes at a pivotal moment for the United Nations. The person who will be selected will be more than the face of the institution. The choice will send a powerful message about multilateralism, which is under unprecedented political and financial pressure. The next SG will be entrusted not only with navigating these challenges, but also with advancing essential reforms to ensure the UN is fit for the future. The UN needs a SG who can provide, strong, principled and effective leadership across all dimensions of the UN gigantic portfolio. With two female candidates in the race (Michelle Bachelet Jeria and Rebeca Grynspan Mayufis), perhaps the time has finally come for a woman to lead the United Nations!