Executives/Plan International CEO
Reena Ghelani, CEO of Plan International

Who is the CEO of Plan International in 2026?

Reena Ghelani is the Chief Executive Officer of Plan International. Reena has held the CEO seat since April 2025, and was previously United Nations Assistant Secretary-General - Climate Crisis Coordinator for the El Niño Response at United Nations.

Updated September 24, 2026
Time in seat
1 year
CEO since April 2025
Career span
28 years
First recorded role January 1998
Education
University of Melbourne
Postgraduate Degree, International Law
Summary
  • Before Plan International, Reena Ghelani was United Nations Assistant Secretary-General - Climate Crisis Coordinator for the El Niño Response at United Nations from January 2024 to December 2024.
  • Reena Ghelani holds a postgraduate Degree, International Law from University of Melbourne and a post Graduate Bachelor Degree, Social Work and a bachelor of Arts - BA, Women's Studies, History, Phillosophy from Monash University.

Current company

Plan International

Plan International is an international development organization.

Non-profit OrganizationsHeadquartered in WokingFounded 1937Private company

Source: Wikidata

Career and education

Reena Ghelani has been CEO of Plan International since April 2025. Before Plan International, Reena was United Nations Assistant Secretary-General - Climate Crisis Coordinator for the El Niño Response at United Nations from January 2024 until December 2024.

Career

  1. Plan International2025 to present
    • Chief Executive Officer
  2. United Nations2022 to 2024
    • United Nations Assistant Secretary-General - Climate Crisis Coordinator for the El Niño ResponseJanuary 2024 to December 2024
    • United Nations Assistant Secretary General- Famine Prevention and Response CoordinatorNovember 2022 to December 2023
  3. United Nations OCHA2003 to 2022
    • Director of Operations and AdvocacySeptember 2018 to November 2022
    • Director of Change ManagementSeptember 2017 to September 2018
    • Deputy Head of OperationsMay 2015 to September 2017
    • Chief of section - Middle East and North AfricaFebruary 2012 to April 2015
    • Deputy Head of Office UN Office Coordination Humanitarian Affairs - PalestineMay 2009 to January 2012
    • Senior Policy Advisor and Protection Coordinator - OCHA SomaliaSeptember 2005 to April 2009
    • Deputy Head of Office - OCHA Sri LankaMarch 2005 to September 2005
    • Humanitarian Affairs Officer - OCHA IraqFebruary 2003 to May 2003
  4. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency2000 to 2005
    • Senior Displacement and Property Restitution Advisor - UNHCR IraqMay 2003 to March 2005
    • Team Lead - LegalJune 2000 to December 2001
  5. United Nations Peacekeeping2001 to 2002
    • Protection Officer
  6. Australian Government1998 to 2000
    • East Timor Desk Officer

Sources: LinkedIn profile

Education

University of Melbourne, Postgraduate Degree, International LawMonash University, Post Graduate Bachelor Degree, Social WorkMonash University, Bachelor of Arts - BA, Women's Studies, History, PhillosophySource

Decision makers by function

100+ decision makers at Plan International in Unify, vice president level and above. Choose a function to see who leads it.

Decision maker preview

Top decision makers at Plan International

Vice president level and above, most senior first
Lawrence Sifiso NcubeChief People and Culture Officer · USA@plan-international.org
Syed Mohammed Aftab AlamHead of Global Hunger Response and Resilience Unit · IND@plan-international.org
Zaid HatokayHead of Programmes · JOR@plan-international.org
Chigozie IgweHead of Business Development · NGA@plan-international.org
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Leadership team at Plan International

Reena Ghelani leads a leadership team of 8 published executives.

Most senior 5 of 8

NameTitleIn seat since
Reena GhelaniChief Executive OfficerApril 2025
Celine ThibautChief Financial OfficerNot stated
Kaumudi BohmsChief Operating OfficerNot stated
Pete ManfieldChief Impact OfficerNot stated
Carmen Elena AlemánRegional Director Region of the AmericasNot stated

Sources: Plan International global leadership page

Frequently asked questions

Who is the CEO of Plan International?

Reena Ghelani is the Chief Executive Officer of Plan International. Reena has held the CEO seat since April 2025, and was previously United Nations Assistant Secretary-General - Climate Crisis Coordinator for the El Niño Response at United Nations.

When did Reena Ghelani become CEO of Plan International?

Reena Ghelani has been CEO of Plan International since April 2025, according to LinkedIn profile.

What did Reena Ghelani do before Plan International?

Reena Ghelani was United Nations Assistant Secretary-General - Climate Crisis Coordinator for the El Niño Response at United Nations from January 2024 until December 2024, according to LinkedIn profile.

How long has Reena Ghelani been CEO of Plan International?

Reena Ghelani has been CEO of Plan International for 1 year, since April 2025.

Who else leads Plan International?

Celine Thibaut (Chief Financial Officer), Kaumudi Bohms (Chief Operating Officer), Pete Manfield (Chief Impact Officer), Carmen Elena Alemán (Regional Director Region of the Americas), and 3 more. Source: Plan International global leadership page.

Reach Plan International's decision makers

100+ leaders at vice president level and above, with verified work emails and phone numbers in Unify.

Methodology

The seat holder is identified in Unify's professional profile dataset, then confirmed against the company's published leadership page, its SEC filings, and Wikipedia before publication. Career and education rows carry the public document they were taken from. Leadership team membership follows the company's own leadership page; in-seat dates come from filings where available and otherwise from the profile record. Company figures are read from the Unify headcount page for the same company and are profile coverage measures, never company-reported workforce totals. The employee preview lists vice president and senior vice president level profiles by department. No personal contact details are published.

Identity confirmed against Wikipedia, Plan International. Last verified: September 24, 2026.