Edward Vrkić

Resident Representative, UNDP Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam

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Bio

Mr. Vrkić is currently serving as UNDP’s Resident Representative to Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam. Prior to this, he was the Strategic Adviser to UNDP’s Bureau for Asia and the Pacific and before this, UNDP’s Deputy Resident Representative to Papua New Guinea. He has served in various senior diplomatic, advisory, civil service and private sector positions over the last 25 years across the Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa. These include for the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia’s Agency for International Development, as Senior Foreign Policy Adviser to the Australian Foreign Minister, Chief of Staff to Pacific Island Forum Leaders, and Australia’s Head of Aid Operations and Humanitarian Coordinator to Papua New Guinea.

Mr. Vrkić has a master’s degree in international relations (with distinction) from the Australian National University and a Bachelor of Arts with honours (first class) from the University of Wollongong. He has extensive experience delivering development cooperation, public policy, communications, humanitarian response, leading negotiations, implementing reform programs, and driving innovation across a wide range of countries and socio-economic contexts.