The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute is pleased to announce the appointment of Dan Smith as its new Director. Smith will assume his post on 1 September 2015.
Dan Smith is currently the Secretary General of International Alert in London and Professor of Peace and Conflict at the University of Manchester. He has previously been the Director of the Peace Research Institute in Oslo (PRIO).
Smith has served four years in the UN Peacebuilding Fund Advisory group, two of which were as Chair. He is a renowned analyst on major global issues such as climate change and peacebuilding, as well as the author of successive editions of atlases of politics, war and peace, with a special focus on the Middle East.
‘We are extremely pleased to welcome Dan Smith to SIPRI and look forward to his energetic leadership, new ideas and global outlook’, said Sven-Olof Petersson, Chairman of SIPRI’s Governing Board. ‘The process of selecting a new Director was extremely competitive, and we are confident that Dan Smith possesses the ability, knowledge and experience to lead SIPRI towards its 50th anniversary and beyond.’
‘It is an honour to lead such a well-known and internationally respected institute. SIPRI is a dynamic institution, which makes a unique and important contribution to a more peaceful world. I look forward to reaching out to our partners in Sweden and around the globe to further increase SIPRI’s positive impact worldwide’, said Dan Smith.
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Dan Smith (United Kingdom) is SIPRI’s ninth Director since the Institute’s founding in 1966. He replaces Director ad interim Dr Ian Anthony, who will as of 1 September resume his ordinary position as Director of the SIPRI European Security Programme.