Former Head of Office | Daniel Esdras

Daniel Esdras has been serving the International Organization for Migration (IOM) since 1987. From 1998 until November 2017, he was the Chief of IOM Greece.

In November 2017 he undertook duties of Special Envoy of the Director General of IOM to the Government of Greece and Advisor of the Regional Director in matters concerning the Mediterranean area.

Since 2015, IOM is in the front line of recent developments in Greece on the field of migration, when Mr. Daniel Esdras leads IOM Greece through the implementation of a significant number of projects aiming at providing humanitarian aid to the migrant population stranded in Greece.

Up to 2012, he is also Head of IOM Cyprus.

From 2007 till today he was a regular member of the Special Preparatory Committee for Combating Human Trafficking, set up by the Ministry of Justice, tasked with proposing legislative amendments with the aim to improve the assistance provided to the victims and planning educational activities for law enforcement personnel. 

From 1987 up to 1998, he is Head of Operations in IOM Greece.

International experience

The crisis in Lebanon, 2006, found him in Cyprus, where he stayed for six months helping people arriving from Africa.

From 1996 to 1999 he served as Chief of the IOM Missions in Serbia and Montenegro, while also being responsible  in Bosnia and Kosovo, in the framework of the “Out of Country Voting Program”, in cooperation with OSCE. 

In 1995 he has also been the General Coordinator of the Humanitarian Programs in Northern Caucasus during the Chechnya war in 1995. During his ten-year experience abroad, he got specialized in crisis management and anti-trafficking programs.

In 1992 he was responsible for IOM mission in Belgrade.

Education

• 1986-1989 Sussex University, UK, M.A. International Relations
• 1982-1983 Sussex University, UK, Diploma Public Relations
• 1980 LaSalle University, USA, Diploma, Business Management
• 1974-1977 Ohio State University, USA B.Sc. Aviation