Helmut Buss brings over 30 years of working experience in international humanitarian organisations on different continents and in various leadership functions.
He held functions in the fields of law, ethics and conflict management. In that context he has been coaching leaders and organisations in developing collaborative safe spaces for problem resolution and values-based compliance and ethical decision making.
In 2021, he retired from UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) where he held the position of Director of the Ethics Office. Previous assignments have included Ombudsman for the International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (ICRC) based in Geneva, Ombudsman for the United Nations Funds and Programmes (UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNOPS and UN Women), based in New York, UNHCR Legal Counsel and UNHCR country Representative.
Helmut works in German, English and French as Executive Coach, Mediator, Senior Advisor and Conciliator for the Administrative Tribunal of the Council of Europe.
Helmut holds a Law degree, an MBA degree and a Master’s degree in Mediation. Measuring and reducing the cost of conflict at work in UNHCR is the title of his Master’s thesis. He authored and co-authored various publications related to conflict management and ethics.
He works in German, English and French, is a certified Coach (CPPC, ACC) and Mediator, and is based in Geneva/ Switzerland.
