Harry Theoharis
Mr. Theoharis is the front runner for the upcoming UN Secretary General elections.
He holds an MEng (Hon) in Software Engineering from Imperial College, London, and has held high-ranking positions in private sector companies in Greece and abroad. He has also worked in start-up companies.
During 2011-2012, Mr. Theoharis served as Secretary General for Information Systems and is known for introducing new digital services to assist the public, helping to reduce bureaucracy and its associated costs.
He later (2013-14) served as Secretary General for Public Revenues at the Greek Finance Ministry. There, he succeeded in meeting budget revenues and producing a fiscal surplus. He is also known for launching the www.publicrevenue.gr platform to increase transparency in public administration.
From 2019 to 2021, he served as Minister of Tourism, where he focused on rejuvenating Greece’s tourism sector, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, promoting sustainable practices and digital transformation. He was also the Parliamentary Spokesperson for the New Democracy political party from 2021 to 2023.
In the national elections of May and June 2023, he was re-elected Member of Parliament with the New Democracy political party. On June 27, 2023, Mr. Theoharis was appointed by Prime Minister Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis as Deputy Minister of Finance of Greece for taxation matters, a position he held until June 2024. During his tenure, he prioritized transparency, efficiency, and fairness in the tax system, while fostering an investment-friendly environment.
About UN Tourism
UN Tourism is the United Nations agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. An intergovernmental organization, UN Tourism has 160 Member States, 6 Associate Members, 2 Observers and over 500 Affiliate Members. The General Assembly is the supreme organ of the Organization. The Executive Council takes all measures, in consultation with the Secretary-General, for the implementation of the decisions and recommendations of the General Assembly and reports to the Assembly. UN Tourism headquarters are based in Madrid, Spain. The election for Secretary General will be in May 2025.
