Jayani Thankchen begins a new innings at UNO as Info Systems Chief

United Nations, Nairobi: Ms. Jayni Thankachen, has joined as Chief of Service, Information Systems and Telecommunications, D1, at United Nations office in Nairobi (UNON) on 18^th July.

Ms. Jayni Thankachen is a seasoned IT professional with over 28 years’ experience in Information and Communication Technology in International Development organizations viz. UN WFP, British Council Management Service, British Council, USAID and World Vision International.  She has accomplished several leadership roles for over 16 years in cross-functional ICT services, aligning the demand (people & process) with supply (emerging digital enabling technologies) in a multicultural environment has equipped her with Technical, Managerial and Strategic leadership skills. She has widespread expertise in the areas of Infrastructure Management, Information Security, IT Strategy, Governance and Management of IT, Solutions Delivery & Operational Excellence, Program & Project Management of Global IT projects, Cloud computing etc. and she is committed to continuous learning.

For World Vision International, she developed Enterprise level Information Security Policies based on ISO 27001, NIST, GDPR, PCI etc., to ensure compliance with contractual, legal and regulatory requirements including data privacy, contributing to World Vision winning the ‘First Place for IT Excellence in Security’ award.

As Regional IT Director, Middle East and Northern Africa, Central and South Asia for British Council, she played a high-level strategic technology advisory role to senior management of two regions of British Council, to ensure ICT digital capabilities and services designed to support the strategic objectives of the organization and managed a team of globally dispersed and culturally diverse team of IT professionals including outsourced vendors. She was instrumental in opening British Council office in Kabul post- war in 2008 and providing remote support solution for Ebril, Iraq.

As Chief, Information Technology for UN World Food Program, she represented WFP in UN Interagency ICT strategy planning meetings and was responsible for budget planning and financial management in SAP for WFP, India. She led implementation of ICT solution for Emergency Relief operations (Supply & Vehicle Tracking) in earthquake- hit Bhuj, Gujarat in the year 2001, along with UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian affairs and was part of the UNMICK United Nations Mission in Kosovo.