Leadership

Mr. Stephen McOwan (Australia) assumed his current appointment as the Director of Mission Support for UNSOH on 31 Dec 2025. Mr. McOwan has extensive experience in delivering operational support in critical, complex and challenging environments.

Prior to this appointment, Mr. McOwan was Chief of the Operational Planning Service in the Department of Operational Support from 2017, where he led the coordination and integration of support for all escalated or complex support operations and a range of operational support policy development initiatives.  

Mr. McOwan has fulfilled a range of roles in UN peacekeeping missions starting in September 2004 with the UN Peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, followed by appointments with the UN Missions in Haiti and Timor-Leste, finishing as Chief Integrated Support Services. Following a year in the private sector in South East Asia, Mr McOwan rejoined the UN at Headquarters in February 2014, where he has worked in peacekeeping and operational support.

Mr. McOwan received graduate degrees in Business Administration (2002) and Project Management (2000).  His undergraduate degree is in English Literature (1990).

Mr. McOwan is married with one son.