Kaan Cetinturk

Global CIO UNICEF

Kaan Cetinturk was appointed UNICEF’s Global CIO and and Director of UNICEF Digital Impact Division in October 2024. In this role, Kaan leads a global team of ICT/digital and Technology for Development staff, driving results for children using ​​​​​​cost-effective, innovative, and digitally enabled solutions, as well as leading the digital transformation of the organization. Kaan brings over 25 years of progressive technical and leadership experience in the private sector and several United Nations agencies. Before joining UNICEF, Kaan was the CIO and Director of the Digital Impact, Technology, and Innovation Department at UNRWA Headquarters in Amman, Jordan since 2018. He has led digital transformation efforts for UNRWA, specifically in the Education, Health, Relief and Social Services, as well as administrative areas. One of his major achievements in this role was the creation of an IT Service Center in Gaza, employing Palestinian refugee youth. Prior to this role, he was the Head of Global IT Operations at the World Health Organization in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and led the Business Process Management practice at WHO in Geneva, Switzerland for nine years. Cetinturk has also worked in the private sector in Brussels as a consultant in Warehouse Management, Supply Chain Execution and Business Process Management. Kaan holds a Master of Science in Engineering Business Management from the University of Warwick. He is a national of Türkiye and Belgium and speaks Turkish, English, and French.