Achim Steiner, a German national, was born in Brazil in 1961. During his studies at Oxford and London University in the United Kingdom, he specialized in development economics, regional planning, international development and environment policy. In 2001 he was appointed as Director General of the World Conservation Union, an organization in the field of conservation, environment and natural resources management. In 2006 the UN General Assembly elected Steiner as the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme for a four-year term. He is also serving on a number of international development advisory boards.