Leila Gharagozloo Pakkala

Director Supply Division, UNICEF

Leila Pakkala leads and oversees UNICEF’s global supply and logistics operations and related partnerships, including in humanitarian settings. 

With over 30 years of humanitarian and development experience at country, regional and headquarters levels, Ms Pakkala has contributed to, and led, a range of organisational initiatives. This has included responsibilities for strategic direction and guidance to UNICEF teams in the delivery of large-scale organisational commitments, strategies and plans. It has also entailed extensive engagement with governmental, multilateral and bilateral partners, private sector corporations, foundations, industry leaders and non-governmental organisations in the establishment of key alliances, influencing policy and programming decisions, managing complex negotiations, and delivering substantive income growth from various channels. 

Ms Pakkala recently served with UNICEF as Senior Advisor, Strategic Partnerships, supporting the Executive Director and her senior team on key partnerships and global initiatives; as Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, providing leadership, oversight, and guidance to 21 country offices; and as Director of Private Fundraising and Partnerships, overseeing private sector operations of organisation. She has also served in several senior management and programme coordination functions, as UNICEF Representative in Mozambique, Deputy Representative in Somalia, Senior Programme Officer in New York, Programme Coordinator in Northern Macedonia, and Advocacy and Child Protection Advisor in Uganda. Prior to UNICEF, she worked with the United Nations in Ethiopia.