The Resident Coordinator's Office
The United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO) in Bhutan supports the work of the UN Resident Coordinator, who leads the UN Country Team (UNCT) in close collaboration with the Royal Government of Bhutan. The UN Country Team, representing the UN development system in Bhutan, comprises 17 resident and non-resident UN agencies, funds, and programmes working together to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ensure that no one is left behind. The purpose of the Resident Coordinator’s Office is to maximize, through strategic coordination, the collective impact of the UN system in Bhutan. The Office ensures that the work of the UNCT is coherent, integrated, and aligned with Bhutan’s national priorities, the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2024–2028, and other international commitments.
The RCO in Bhutan performs the following core functions in support of the Resident Coordinator and the UN Country Team:
- Strategic Planning
- Development Economics
- Partnerships and Development Finance
- Data and Results Management and Reporting
- Communications and Advocacy
The UN Resident Coordinator in Bhutan
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres appointed Gaurav Ray of Australia as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Bhutan, with the host Government’s approval, effective on 8 November 2025.
Mr. Ray brings over 25 years of experience in humanitarian and development practice, particularly in leadership and technical positions in complex environments, to the position. Most recently, he served as Head of Office and Senior Representative of the German Red Cross in Bangladesh, where he led the country office team in strategic and policy direction, advocated for innovative programmes such as Anticipatory Action and Climate Resilience, built partnerships, oversaw operations management and represented the organization as it worked to support refugees in Cox’s Bazar. He has also worked with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Start Network, the Australian Red Cross, RedR Australia, Emergency Management Australia and the Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre. His assignments have spanned disaster risk management, emergency response, community resilience, surge capacity and programme development across several missions in Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia and Thailand.
Mr. Ray has devoted the last two decades of his career to promoting risk-informed, inclusive, sustainable development. His work has involved positioning ideas, convening diverse stakeholders and integrating new domains and themes through diplomacy, sensitisation and negotiation. He brings extensive experience in partnership brokering, inter-agency coordination, systems thinking, and high-level representation in complex settings.
He holds a master’s degree (MBA) in international business from the Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand and a master’s degree in management from ESCP-EAP, Oxford, UK. He also has a postgraduate diploma in humanitarian assistance from Fordham University in the United States, a certificate in disaster management from the Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre in Thailand and a bachelor’s degree in physics from Fergusson College, University of Pune, India.
Meet the team at the UN Resident Coordinator's Office in Bhutan
Mr. Timothy Wilson Head of Office timothy.wilson@un.org Telephone: +975 2 322424 (Ext. 101)
Mr. Olaf Jan De Groot Development Coordination Officer, Economist olaf.degroot@un.org Telephone: +975 2 322424 (Ext. 106)
Ms. Tshering Chuki Development Coordination Officer- Partnerships & Development Finance tshering.chuki@un.org Telephone: +975 2 322424 (Ext. 104)
Ms. Sonam Tshoki Asst. Development Coordination Officer- Data, Research & Reports sonam.tshoki@un.org Telephone: +975 2 322424 (Ext. 103)
Ms. Laiden Carmin Wangdi Asst. Communications & Advocacy Officer laiden.wangdi@un.org Telephone: +975 2 322424
Ms. Tshering Palden Executive Associate, tshering.palden@un.org Telephone: +975 2 322424 (Ext. 121)
Ms. Karma Deki Wangmo Administrative Assistant, karma.wangmo@un.org Telephone: +975 2 322424 (Ext. 108)
Mr. Kinley Phyntso UNV Specialist- LNOB Specialist, kinley.phyntso@un.org Telephone: +975 2 322424
Ms. Sonam P. Gyeltshen UN Youth-Programme Assistant sonam.gyeltshen1@un.org Telephone: +975 2 322424
Ms. Sonam Yangzom UNV University- Gender & Youth sonam.yangzom@un.org Telephone: +975 2 322424
Mr. Norbu Ngedup Driver norbu.ngedup@un.org Telephone: +975 2 322424
