Christopher Bancroft Burnham, CEO of Cambridge Global Capital LLC, was appointed Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations for Management by Kofi Annan on June 1, 2005, after serving as acting Under Secretary of State for Management for Condoleezza Rice, and as Assistant Secretary of State for Resource Management and Chief Financial Officer of the State Department for General Colin Powell. Burnham joined the Department of State in September 2001.[1] As a Connecticut State Representative and a Lieutenant Colonel in the Marine Corps reserves, he was one of seven state legislators called to serve in military during the Gulf War.[2] He served as minority leader in the legislature, and after his third term was elected Treasurer of Connecticut, where he served from 1995 - 1997. Within two years he restructured the state pension funds, performance went from being the worst performing in the country to the top 25%, where it remained for eight years.
Work at the UN[]
One of Burnham's first tasks at the UN was handling the "procurement department scandal." "We cannot modernize and rebuild the United Nations on a foundation that has corruption in it. This is not just my priority; it is the secretary-general's Kofi Annan priority," he said in a Foxnews interview.[3]
Education[]
Burnham graduated from high school at Kent School in 1975. He completed his B.A. in Political Science at Washington & Lee University in 1980 and a National Security Studies Program from Georgetown University from 1987-88. He then completed his M.P.A. from Harvard University in 1990. He and his wife Courtney have three children; George, Caroline, and Katie.
Deutsche Bank[]
Burnham became Vice Chairman and Managing director of the Deutsche Bank asset management unit in November 2006.[4]
Awards[]
- 2007 One To World Fulbright Award for Global Public Service;
- 2005 United States Secretary of State's Award for Distinguished Service (highest award in the Department);
- 2004 Presidential Award for Management Excellence for “Innovative and Exemplary Practices in Budget and Performance Integration;”
- 2004 Association of Government Accountants “CEAR” Award for excellence in financial reporting (one of only four Federal departments);
- 2003 Association of Government Accountants “CEAR” Award for excellence in financial reporting (one of only three Federal departments);
- 2002 Association of Government Accountants “CEAR” Award for excellence in financial reporting (first ever awarded to the Department of State);
- 2000 Finalist, Ernst & Young “Entrepreneur of the Year” Award;
- 1997 “Individual Excellence Award” by the New England Association of Comptrollers;
- 1996 National Government Finance Officer's Association Award for excellence in financial reporting (first ever awarded to any state treasury);
- 1996 “Outstanding Citizen” Award, Greenwich Chambers of Commerce;
- 1995 “Friend of Democracy Award” by Connecticut Common Cause for authoring legislation to stop “Pay to Play;”
- 1991 Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Unit Citation, Meritorious Unit Citation;
- 1988 “Legislator of the Year,” Connecticut Children's Coalition.[5]
References[]
The original article can be found at Christopher Burnham and the edit history here.