Biographical Note
SECRETARY-GENERAL APPOINTS CHRISTOPHER BANCROFT BURNHAM OF UNITED STATES AS NEW UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR MANAGEMENT
The Secretary-General today announced the appointment of Christopher Bancroft Burnham of the United States as the new Under-Secretary-General for Management, succeeding Catherine Bertini, effective June 1, 2005. Mr. Burnham’s selection came at the end of a competitive process in which three short-listed candidates were interviewed.
Christopher B. Burnham was appointed by President Bush as acting Undersecretary of the United States Department of State for Management, in February 2005, overseeing all global operations for the State Department, including diplomatic security, human resources, overseas building operations, administration, information resources, and consular affairs.
Since January 2002, Mr. Burnham has also served as the Assistant Secretary for Resource Management and Chief Financial Officer of the Department, leading all budgeting, accounting and disbursing, strategic planning, budget and performance integration, global financial operations, intelligence resource planning, and critical infrastructure protection. Mr. Burnham has led the effort to instil sound business planning practices in all aspects of the State Department, from individual embassy business plans to the Department’s strategic plan.
Before joining the Bush Administration, Mr. Burnham served as the Chief Executive Officer of a leading asset management and mutual fund company, PIMCO’s Columbus Circle Investors, and as Vice-Chairman of PIMCO’s mutual fund group. Earlier, in 1994, he was elected Treasurer of Connecticut, and quickly earned national recognition for sweeping reforms to all aspects of the Connecticut Treasury, and for turning the worst performing state pension fund in the country into one of the top performing public funds nationwide.
Previously, Mr. Burnham was an investment banker with Credit Suisse First Boston and Advest Corporate Finance. He was elected to the Connecticut House of Representatives three times, and served as assistant minority leader. A 23-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps Reserve, he is a veteran of the first Gulf War, and led one of the first infantry units to reach and liberate KuwaitCity in 1991.
Mr. Burnham was born in New York, New York in 1956. He earned a master’s degree in public administration from HarvardUniversity and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Washington & LeeUniversity. He also attended GeorgetownUniversity, National Security Studies Program. Mr. Burnham is the recipient of several accounting, leadership, and civic awards.
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