Earle Courtenay Rattray

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced on 17 December 2021 the appointment of Courtenay Rattray of Jamaica as his Chef de Cabinet. He will succeed Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti of Brazil, to whom the Secretary-General is deeply grateful for her outstanding service and steadfast commitment to the United Nations.

The Secretary-General expressed his profound appreciation to Ms. Ribeiro Viotti. He particularly admires her exemplary leadership in steering the work of the United Nations through some of the greatest tests in the organization’s history, including the global pandemic, a potentially crippling financial crisis and one of the organization’s biggest internal reforms. Her vision, sound judgement and unmatched integrity inspired and shaped the United Nations and will leave a positive impact on the Organization for the years to come.

Mr. Rattray has been High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States since July 2021. Prior to this appointment, he served as Permanent Representative of Jamaica to the United Nations in New York, during which time, he was also Co-chair of the Group of Friends of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Financing; Children and the SDGs; and the Group of Friends of Decent Work.

He previously served as Jamaica’s Ambassador to China (2008-2013); Director of the Bilateral Relations Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade in Kingston (2005 -2008); Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Jamaica in Washington, D.C., (2001-2005); Special Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade (2000-2001); and Special Adviser to the Minister for Industry and Investment (1999-2000). Before he joined the foreign service, he served as Executive Director of the Jamaica Marketing Company in London (1990-1997) and Director of Marketing and Promotions at the Jamaica National Export Corporation in Kingston (1987-1988).

Mr. Rattray holds a Master of Arts degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in the United States, a Master of Arts in International Business from the London South Bank University and a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from West Virginia Wesleyan College in the United States. He was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters (Honoris Causa) by West Virginia Wesleyan College.