Dr. Joan Clos is the former Executive Director of the UN-Habitat (2010- 2017). During his mandate, Dr. Clos led the process of elaboration of the New Urban Agenda, and he was appointed Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III).
Born in Barcelona in 1949, he is a medical doctor with a distinguished career in public service. He was twice elected Mayor of Barcelona (1997-2006). He was Minister of Industry, Tourism, and Trade of Spain (2006 – 2008). Prior to joining the United Nations, he served as the Spanish Ambassador to Turkey.
Dr. Clos received a number of awards, including a gold medal from the Royal Institute of British Architects for the transformation of Barcelona, the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honor Award for encouraging global cooperation between local authorities and the United Nations. In 2016, the Rockefeller Foundation honored him with the Jane Jacobs Medal in recognition of his leadership with the New Urban Agenda.