UNITED NATIONS,   (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday appointed Sanda Ojiambo of Kenya as executive director of the UN Global Compact, the largest corporate sustainability initiative in the world.

As the second woman to be appointed in the role, Ojiambo will succeed Lise Kingo of Denmark.

Ojiambo, who assumes the role on June 17, will bring 20 years of experience to lead the Global Compact in its next phase to mobilize a global movement of sustainable companies and stakeholders and bring the full weight of the private sector to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, said Guterres' press office.

Ojiambo is a long-time business leader in Kenya. She holds a Master's degree in public policy from the University of Minnesota, the United States, and a Bachelor's degree in economics and international development from McGill University, Canada.

Launched in July 2000, the UN Global Compact is the secretary-general's strategic policy and advocacy initiative calling for the alignment of business operations and strategies with 10 universal principles in the areas of human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption.  ■