Barbara Kreissler

Biography

Barbara Kreissler is the Head of Communications and External Relations at the International Institute of Applied System Analysis (IIASA). She oversees and manages the IIASA membership strategy, leads the development of the institute's communications and stakeholder engagement plan, and strengthens cooperation between IIASA and its National and Regional Member Organizations. In addition, she leads the institute's science diplomacy activities and its relations with international organizations.

Before joining IIASA, she held the position as Director of Professional Lighting in the Global Public and Government Affairs Department at Signify, formerly Philips Lighting, based in the Netherlands. She was responsible for global strategic outreach and stakeholder management of strategic international partnerships with a focus on energy, climate change, and smart city programs. As such she enabled and facilitated the transition of cities, states, and regions to energy efficient, sustainable LED lighting solutions and Internet of Things (IOT)-enabled lighting systems and services.

Prior to this, she worked at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in Vienna, Austria, where she held a variety of global positions ranging from the Head of Business Partnerships Group to external relations and project management. During her tenure, she positioned UNIDO as a key UN agency for private sector collaboration, thereby significantly upscaling the organization's public-private partnership portfolio.

She started her professional career as project manager at Deloitte in Brussels, Belgium. She holds a master's degree in international affairs from Georgetown University and a bachelor's degree in international relations from Tufts University, both in the United States.


Last update: 28 JUL 2023