Atefeh Riazi

Assistant Secretary-General, Chief Information Technology Officer

Office of Information and Communications Technology, United Nations

Symposium Roles
CIO Award Finalist 2018
Speaker/Panelist 2018
Panels Participated in
Blockchain: Rising Above The Noise (2018)
Insights from the Leadership Award Finalists (2018)
Bio

A senior executive and philanthropist, Atefeh (Atti) Riazi has served in both the public and private sectors as a CIO managing large-scale technology projects and initiatives.  Since 2013, she has held the post of Assistant Secretary-General and Chief Information Technology Officer of the United Nations, transforming the technology function into a strategic partner. Ms. Riazi is also the Executive Director of the nonprofit CIOs Without Borders.

Earlier, Ms. Riazi was the Executive Vice President and CIO of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA)—also acting as its General Manager, responsible for a $3 billion organization staffed by over 12,000 employees. Prior to that, she served as the global CIO of communications giant Ogilvy & Mather for over nine years, overseeing all technology across 400 offices in 100 countries.  In her preceding role as the Vice President and CIO of MTA New York City Transit, Ms. Riazi implemented the extraordinarily successful $2 billion automated fare collection system, MetroCard.  She has published many articles and studies, and speaks frequently on issues involving technology for social good, responsible innovation, and cybersecurity.

Recent Press Coverage