Senior Vice President for Global Strategy and United Nations Affairs and Executive Director, The USCIB Foundation
Tel: 212.703.5052
As USCIB’s Senior VP, Global Strategy and UN Affairs, Norine Kennedy leads USCIB’s global engagement in influential multilateral institutions in New York and elsewhere, and its relations with the United Nations. She also serves as Executive Director of The USCIB Foundation.
Kennedy spearheads USCIB’s ongoing emphasis on meaningful business engagement, partnership, and regulatory diplomacy in inter-governmental organizations.
She is the architect of USCIB’s participation at the UN Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC) and is managing USCIB’s involvement in UN reform efforts. She currently serves as Co-Chair for Business and Industry at the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA).
Prior to this role, Kennedy co-led USCIB’s policy department, and pioneered USCIB’s environment, climate change, and sustainability practices.
With over 30 years’ experience working with seven White Houses and their Administrations, she is a recognized and trusted expert and spokesperson for American business at the UN. Kennedy has represented US business at the UN Rio, Johannesburg, and Rio+20 sustainability conferences, at UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Governing Council and UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) meetings, all Conferences of the Parties of the UN Climate Convention up until COP28 and at the UN High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), as well as at the OECD. She has often served as private sector advisor on US delegations to these and other meetings.
Kennedy has also designed and implemented USCIB involvement in key UN meetings, such as the UN Summit of the Future, the 4th UN Finance for Development Conference and numerous high-level opening weeks of the UN General Assembly.
She holds degrees from Wellesley College and the Claremont Graduate School.
Relevant Articles
USCIB Delegation Concludes Successful Geneva Week | USCIB members and staff concluded USCIB’s fourth annual “Geneva Week” last week, strengthening lines of communication between the private sector and key UN agencies and missions. Discussions throughout the week focused on the role of business in UN80 reform, Innovation and IP, and International Health Policy. The USCIB delegation included member representatives from AB InBev, Cargill, Deloitte, DIAGEO, E&Y, Ferrero, FMC Corporation, Google, Johnson & Johnson, Microsoft, and Novonesis. 
USCIB Brings Delegation of Members to Geneva for Meetings with Key UN Agencies and Permanent Missions | USCIB members and staff are in Geneva this week for USCIB’s fourth annual “Geneva Week” to strengthen lines of communication between the private sector and key UN agencies and missions. Discussions focused on UN80 reform, Innovation and IP, and International Health Policy. The USCIB delegation, which includes member representatives from[...]
The USCIB Foundation and IOE Launch AI and Digitalization in the Workplace Project | The USCIB Foundation and the International Organisation of Employers (IOE), in collaboration with USCIB member Salesforce, convened a kick-off roundtable on, AI and Digitalization in the Workplace: Innovation Breakthroughs for Safety and Health, in New York on April 7. IOE and The USCIB Foundation have partnered on this joint project[...]
The USCIB Foundation Hosts Reception Commemorating Eighty Years of Global Economic and Social Cooperation | The USCIB Foundation commemorated the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) with a reception on January 28. The evening recognized the leadership and contributions of Member States’ representatives and the UN Secretariat in support of business involvement and partnerships.
USCIB Contributes to 2026 ECOSOC Partnership Forum and Meetings on UN Reform | Norine Kennedy, SVP, Global Strategy and United Nations Affairs and Executive Director, The USCIB Foundation, and Emine Shinjatari, Program Associate, UN Affairs and The USCIB Foundation, represented USCIB at the United Nations in New York at the 2026 UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Partnership Forum on January 27. The forum focused on the UN’s program of work in 2026 on innovation, infrastructure, water, energy, and cities.