Lila Karbassi

Lila Karbassi is Senior Programme Officer of Science-Based Target Setting at the United Nations Global Compact.

Her work supports the UN’s agenda to deliver a resilient net-zero future and drive business ambition towards the achievement of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Currently serving as the Chair of Executive Board of the Science-based Target Initiative (SBTi), she acts as a liaison between the SBTi and the UN Global Compact.

Ms. Karbassi has been instrumental to the work of the UN Global Compact since 2005 and lead numerous successful programmes to position leading businesses on the UN agenda. Between 2017 and 2022, she served as the Chief of Programmes overseeing the initiative’s work on human rights, labour rights, the environment, anti-corruption, reporting and finance.

In 2016, Ms. Karbassi was seconded to the Office of the UN Secretary-General supporting business engagement on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Prior to joining the United Nations, Ms. Karbassi held various senior positions on policy regulation at Sanofi-Aventis in France.

Ms. Karbassi holds a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from the Bocconi School of Management, Italy. She also holds Masters and Doctorate degrees in Biology from the Universities of Grenoble and Paris, France. Ms. Karbassi is a French and Iranian national.