Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands is delighted to welcome Ms. Tamara Cook as the new Director of the Office of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Financial Health (UNSGSA). Starting in January 2026, Ms. Cook will lead the team that supports Her Majesty’s work as the UNSGSA, housed at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in New York.
Ms. Cook joins the Office of the UNSGSA from Financial Sector Deepening Kenya (FSD). As CEO of FSD Kenya, she leads the organization’s strategy to strengthen financial markets and advance financial health for low-income households, women, and micro and small enterprises (MSEs). With nearly three decades of experience in financial inclusion and financial health, Ms. Cook has worked with the Gates Foundation, CGAP, and Equity Bank. She also served as the FSD Network Chair from 2021-2024. She holds a master's in business administration from INSEAD in France and a bachelor’s degree in international affairs from the George Washington University.
“With an increasingly complex global outlook, it has never been more important to empower households with financial products and tools to effectively manage their daily lives, deal with shocks, and invest in secure and resilient futures.” Said Ms. Cook. “I am looking forward to drawing on my experience with FSD to lead the Office of the UNSGSA, under Queen Máxima’s guidance, to accelerate global action working across the public and private sectors.”
Ms. Cook succeeds Mr. Paolo Galli, who served as interim director of the Office of the UNSGSA from 2024-2025.
