Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has filled four important positions in his first week of office at the United Nations. True to his statements that he wishes to promote the role of women in the Organization, two of these high-level appointees are women.

Sir John Holmes, who will head the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and serve as Emergency Relief Coordinator, is a career diplomat who has worked in a broad range of functions in the United Kingdom Government since 1973 and whose most recent position was Ambassador to France. He was also private secretary to Prime Minister Tony Blair and his predecessor, John Major.

Alicia Bárcena Ibarra of Mexico, appointed as Under-Secretary-General of the Department of Management, is also a career diplomat from Mexico who served as Chef de Cabinet for former Secretary-General Kofi Annan for most of 2006. She had been the Deputy Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, a development agency based in Chile, since 2003. Ms. Bárcena is responsible for some of the most important financial matters at the United Nations: the Organization's debt, managing personnel to balance the budgets and pursuing countries that are behind payment of dues. The Department is also responsible for the Capital Master Plan project, i.e. the renovation of the UN Secretariat complex.

Mr. Ban has also appointed Asha-Rose Migiro of the United Republic of Tanzania as his Deputy Secretary-General. She is a "highly respected leader who has championed the cause of developing countries over the years", he said, and has "displayed outstanding management skills". Mr. Ban also said he will "delegate much of the management and administrative work of the Secretariat, as well as socio-economic affairs and development issues, under a clear line of authority to ensure that the Secretariat will function in a more effective and efficient manner". Ms. Migiro, who currently serves as Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, is the first woman in her country to do so; among her main priorities has been attaining peace, security and development in the Great Lakes Region.

Vijay Nambiar, who was appointed as Mr. Ban's Chef de Cabinet, has held many important roles in and around the United Nations, including as special adviser to Kofi Annan and Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations. He also served as deputy national security adviser in India. "I have known Nambiar for a long time and we share deep confidence and respect for each other", said Mr. Ban. The Chef de Cabinet is responsible for maintaining the Secretary-General's agenda and coordinating his meetings and a myriad of official affairs.

Additionally, Mr. Ban has been visiting staff members at UN Headquarters in New York. One employee who met Mr. Ban described him as "kind, interested and friendly", saying that the new Secretary-General took the time to meet all employees in his Section, inquired about their work and listened attentively as they explained their functions to him.