Microsoft announced today two senior appointments to its government affairs team and the opening of a new Microsoft representation office to the United Nations (UN) in New York.
John Frank, currently the vice president of EU government affairs, will relocate from Brussels to establish Microsoft’s new United Nations representation office in New York. John and his team will help deepen Microsoft’s support for the UN’s mission and work. This includes advancing global multi-stakeholder action on key technology, environmental, humanitarian, development, and security goals as well as helping to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Ambassador Casper Klynge, a respected Danish diplomat, will join Microsoft as the new vice president of European government affairs, based in Brussels. Casper will continue to strengthen the company’s external relationships with the EU institutions as well as with governments across Europe, and ensure Microsoft is a constructive partner in supporting policy makers in Brussels and European capitals achieve their goals.
The changes are effective March 1. Both John Frank and Casper Klynge will report directly to Microsoft president, Brad Smith and serve on the senior leadership team of Microsoft’s Corporate, External and Legal Affairs group alongside Fred Humphries, who continues to lead Microsoft’s U.S. government affairs team.
“Today’s announcements will help us take the next important steps in addressing the technology issues of our time,” said Microsoft President Brad Smith. “As technology creates more opportunities and challenges for the world, tech companies need do more to work with governments in a supportive and collaborative way. John and Casper will help us do precisely that, across Europe and around the world through the United Nations.”
New Microsoft representation office to the UN in New York
Microsoft’s new representation office to the United Nations headquarters in New York will provide support for several Microsoft teams who work with the broader UN community on policy and business issues. Microsoft strongly supports the Sustainable Development Goals and has initiated numerous projects focusing on four SDGs where the company can contribute most to advance towards these shared goals of quality education, decent work and economic growth, climate action as well as peace, justice and strong institutions.
As vice president of UN affairs, John Frank will establish a new representation office and lead a team that will focus on advancing Microsoft’s partnerships with the United Nations and its agencies, building relationships with UN representatives, identifying new opportunities for partnerships, building stronger connections between Microsoft and UN teams, advocating for the UN’s priorities within Microsoft, and working across the company to support Microsoft teams in their engagements and advocacy with the UN community.
“Microsoft’s commitment to addressing some of the biggest challenges facing the future of society inspires me. I look forward to helping the company engage more deeply and effectively with the United Nations community. Multi-stakeholder support and initiatives will be essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and advancing global solutions in many other areas. I am incredibly thankful for the past four years in Europe and the opportunity to represent Microsoft in the Brussels community and EU capitals on European public policy issues and initiatives important for our customers as well as Europe’s economic agenda and social values,” said John Frank.
Respected Danish diplomat to lead Microsoft’s European government affairs team
Ambassador Casper Klynge will join Microsoft as vice president European government affairs with responsibility for all of Microsoft’s government affairs and public policy work across the continent. He will work to deepen Microsoft’s understanding of the priorities of the European Union and governments across Europe, and ensure Microsoft is a strong partner in delivering on all of these priorities. Europe is at the forefront of tackling some of the most urgent and complex tech issues of our time, and Casper Klynge will ensure that Microsoft is constructively contributing to the efforts of European policy makers. He’ll lead a team of government affairs and public policy professional based in Brussels and across Europe.
“Significant transformation will come from technology and digitalization. Bringing the tech industry and governments closer together around this common agenda has been among the most important work I have been involved in during my career. It is frankly one of the most important tasks of our time. I am excited to be joining an organization where this agenda is a top priority due to the approach of a management team I enormously respect. Microsoft has shown global leadership by focusing on the societal responsibility of the tech industry and standing up to defend core democratic values. As Europe will continue to play a key role in defining the guardrails for technology, I look forward to contributing to these efforts as part of the Microsoft team,” commented Casper Klynge on his appointment.
