1. D R C A R L W R I G H T
CONTACT DETAILS drcarlwright@gmail.com
@CarlWright_CLGF
www.linkedin.com/in/carlwrightclgf
(M) +44 (0)7768 347152 (CLGF) +44 (0) 207 3891490
Mill House, Old Tree, Hoath, Kent CT3 4LE, UK
T E S T I M O N I A L S
BSc (Hon), MA
Secretary-General Emeritus and Ex Officio Board member
Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF)
“
“
Carl has much still to offer in public service to the United Kingdom, and indeed
to the international community. Given his sound knowledge of the workings of
governments and legislatures in many countries, and his numerous
international professional and personal contacts.
Rt Hon Helen Clark
Administrator UNDP and Prime Minister of New Zealand (1999–2008)
Mr Wright is highly competent and skilled in diplomacy and navigating the
sometime turbulent waters of international affairs
Archbishop Emeritus DesmondTutu
Nobel Laureate
You gave invaluable service to..... numerous Commonwealth and United Nations
committees and expert groups, as well as on election observer teams.You have
been a true Commonwealth exemplar.
Sir Shridath Ramphal
Commonwealth Secretary-General (1975-90)
I would like to commend Mr Wright who played an important role in the
Commonwealth and Africa, in particular in advancing the cause of local
democracy, good governance ...
HEYoweri Kaguta Museveni
President of Uganda
“
“
“ “
“ “

2. CORE STRENGTHS
■ Intergovernmental
relations
■ Sustainable development
■ Democratic governance
■ Human and labour rights
■ Local economic
development
■ Decentralisation and
subnational finances
■ Policy development,
management and analysis
■ Public administration
■ Strategic planning
■ Political risk analysis
■ Public sector reform
■ Public-private partnerships
■ Conflict prevention and
crisis management
■ Chairing high level forums
■ Skilled mediator and
strategic negotiator
‘Carl Wright has devoted himself over the past 40 years to the promotion of international co-operation,
economic development, human rights, social development and development policy, especially in the area
of public administration and local government’
Citation, award of Doctor of Administration (honoris causa), University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013
D R C A R L W R I G H T
INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
■ Held high level diplomatic positions within Commonwealth, UN, EU and played key role at
intergovernmental conferences and meetings spanning over 40 years; participated at 13
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings (1981-2015)
■ Member, Global Taskforce on Post-2015 and Habitat III; delegate at Addis Ababa
Conference on Financing for Development and COP21 Paris; chaired key UN
consultations on 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2013-16)
■ Initiated and implemented technical assistance programmes in over 50 countries in
partnership with UNDP, DFID, European Commission and other development agencies
DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE AND HUMAN RIGHTS
■ Led on development and application of the Commonwealth Aberdeen Principles on
local democracy and good governance, designed to promote accountability,
transparency and inclusiveness – successfully incorporated into the Commonwealth Charter
■ Campaigned for human rights and ILO labour standards; managed Commonwealth
programmes in Southern Africa, including post-apartheid human resource development (1988-94)
■ International election observer in Ghana, Nigeria and Pakistan
PUBLIC SECTOR REFORM AND SUB-NATIONAL FINANCES
■ Conference Secretary at seven high-level Commonwealth Local Government
Conferences, resulting in key policy recommendations on public sector reform and democratic
decentralisation, endorsed by Heads of Government (2000-2015)
■ Managed public sector/local government reform projects and technical assistance,
including for fiscal decentralisation and revision of national laws and practices
■ Member of various international expert groups, think tanks and editorial boards; initiated
policy research with university and professional partners
LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY AND PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS
■ Conceptualised and promoted the Cardiff Consensus on local economic development
■ Oversaw implementation of over 40 local economic development projects in Africa, Asia, the
Caribbean and the Pacific 2012-16
■ Negotiated key corporate partnerships with Barclays, Microsoft, TATA and others
INCLUSIVE, SAFE, RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND HUMAN SETTLEMENTS
■ Helped successful advocacy to establish new SDG 11 on cities and human settlements
■ Member/delegate at numerous UN Habitat urban task forces, conferences and forums
■ Facilitated creation of the Commonwealth Sustainable Cities Network and development of new
partnerships with Cities Alliance, the Prince of Wales Foundations and others in support of integrated
urban planning strategies and the New Urban Agenda (2015-16)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Founding Secretary-General of CLGF 1995-2016 and Assistant Director
at the Commonwealth Secretariat 1988-94 with special responsibility
for Southern Africa; Dr Wright has worked in a wide range of
international organisations since 1973 including the UN, the
Commonwealth and the EU and has extensive experience of high level
interaction with heads of government, national ministers, city mayors,
development agencies and private sector partners.
Dr Wright has undertaken official missions to over 80 countries and has led
the organisation and supervision of a variety of technical assistance
programmes and knowledge-sharing events worldwide; he has also served
as Commonwealth election observer and on many international
commissions, think-tanks and editorial boards.
Dr Wright has been a member of the Global Taskforce of Local and Regional
Governments on Post-2015 and Habitat III 2012-16 and has engaged widely
in policy development and advocacy across the international, economic,
social and cultural spheres. His academic qualifications relate to
intergovernmental relations, public administration and urban and regional
planning. He has actively campaigned in defence of human rights and ILO
labour standards and for the promotion of local democracy and good
governance.
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
■ Founded and led CLGF 1995-2016 as the Commonwealth
organisation advocating for democratic local government with 200
member institutions and a high level Board and Patrons; secured
political recognition from Heads of Government; negotiated
multi-million dollar programmes of knowledge-sharing and
technical assistance in partnership with international development
agencies, the corporate sector and university partners in 50 countries
worldwide
■ Managed Commonwealth Secretariat programmes in Southern Africa,
1988-94 which supported the political transition in Mozambique,
Namibia and South Africa, including developing post-apartheid
human resource development and donor funding strategies
■ Organised successful advocacy campaigns for human and labour
rights 1975-88, including as first Director of the Commonwealth Trade
Union Council and participated in key UN, Commonwealth and EU
commissions and expert groups
■ Was among the first UK officials working at the European Commission
1973-74, helping establish the European Regional Development Fund
and has had a strong engagement ever since, most recently
negotiating a strategic partnership with the EU in 2015
P R O F E S S I O N A L E X P E R T I S E A N D A C H I E V E M E N T S

3. CORE STRENGTHS
■ Intergovernmental
relations
■ Sustainable development
■ Democratic governance
■ Human and labour rights
■ Local economic
development
■ Decentralisation and
subnational finances
■ Policy development,
management and analysis
■ Public administration
■ Strategic planning
■ Political risk analysis
■ Public sector reform
■ Public-private partnerships
■ Conflict prevention and
crisis management
■ Chairing high level forums
■ Skilled mediator and
strategic negotiator
‘Carl Wright has devoted himself over the past 40 years to the promotion of international co-operation,
economic development, human rights, social development and development policy, especially in the area
of public administration and local government’
Citation, award of Doctor of Administration (honoris causa), University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013
D R C A R L W R I G H T
INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
■ Held high level diplomatic positions within Commonwealth, UN, EU and played key role at
intergovernmental conferences and meetings spanning over 40 years; participated at 13
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings (1981-2015)
■ Member, Global Taskforce on Post-2015 and Habitat III; delegate at Addis Ababa
Conference on Financing for Development and COP21 Paris; chaired key UN
consultations on 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2013-16)
■ Initiated and implemented technical assistance programmes in over 50 countries in
partnership with UNDP, DFID, European Commission and other development agencies
DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE AND HUMAN RIGHTS
■ Led on development and application of the Commonwealth Aberdeen Principles on
local democracy and good governance, designed to promote accountability,
transparency and inclusiveness – successfully incorporated into the Commonwealth Charter
■ Campaigned for human rights and ILO labour standards; managed Commonwealth
programmes in Southern Africa, including post-apartheid human resource development (1988-94)
■ International election observer in Ghana, Nigeria and Pakistan
PUBLIC SECTOR REFORM AND SUB-NATIONAL FINANCES
■ Conference Secretary at seven high-level Commonwealth Local Government
Conferences, resulting in key policy recommendations on public sector reform and democratic
decentralisation, endorsed by Heads of Government (2000-2015)
■ Managed public sector/local government reform projects and technical assistance,
including for fiscal decentralisation and revision of national laws and practices
■ Member of various international expert groups, think tanks and editorial boards; initiated
policy research with university and professional partners
LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY AND PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS
■ Conceptualised and promoted the Cardiff Consensus on local economic development
■ Oversaw implementation of over 40 local economic development projects in Africa, Asia, the
Caribbean and the Pacific 2012-16
■ Negotiated key corporate partnerships with Barclays, Microsoft, TATA and others
INCLUSIVE, SAFE, RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND HUMAN SETTLEMENTS
■ Helped successful advocacy to establish new SDG 11 on cities and human settlements
■ Member/delegate at numerous UN Habitat urban task forces, conferences and forums
■ Facilitated creation of the Commonwealth Sustainable Cities Network and development of new
partnerships with Cities Alliance, the Prince of Wales Foundations and others in support of integrated
urban planning strategies and the New Urban Agenda (2015-16)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Founding Secretary-General of CLGF 1995-2016 and Assistant Director
at the Commonwealth Secretariat 1988-94 with special responsibility
for Southern Africa; Dr Wright has worked in a wide range of
international organisations since 1973 including the UN, the
Commonwealth and the EU and has extensive experience of high level
interaction with heads of government, national ministers, city mayors,
development agencies and private sector partners.
Dr Wright has undertaken official missions to over 80 countries and has led
the organisation and supervision of a variety of technical assistance
programmes and knowledge-sharing events worldwide; he has also served
as Commonwealth election observer and on many international
commissions, think-tanks and editorial boards.
Dr Wright has been a member of the Global Taskforce of Local and Regional
Governments on Post-2015 and Habitat III 2012-16 and has engaged widely
in policy development and advocacy across the international, economic,
social and cultural spheres. His academic qualifications relate to
intergovernmental relations, public administration and urban and regional
planning. He has actively campaigned in defence of human rights and ILO
labour standards and for the promotion of local democracy and good
governance.
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
■ Founded and led CLGF 1995-2016 as the Commonwealth
organisation advocating for democratic local government with 200
member institutions and a high level Board and Patrons; secured
political recognition from Heads of Government; negotiated
multi-million dollar programmes of knowledge-sharing and
technical assistance in partnership with international development
agencies, the corporate sector and university partners in 50 countries
worldwide
■ Managed Commonwealth Secretariat programmes in Southern Africa,
1988-94 which supported the political transition in Mozambique,
Namibia and South Africa, including developing post-apartheid
human resource development and donor funding strategies
■ Organised successful advocacy campaigns for human and labour
rights 1975-88, including as first Director of the Commonwealth Trade
Union Council and participated in key UN, Commonwealth and EU
commissions and expert groups
■ Was among the first UK officials working at the European Commission
1973-74, helping establish the European Regional Development Fund
and has had a strong engagement ever since, most recently
negotiating a strategic partnership with the EU in 2015
P R O F E S S I O N A L E X P E R T I S E A N D A C H I E V E M E N T S

4. D R C A R L W R I G H T
CONTACT DETAILS drcarlwright@gmail.com
@CarlWright_CLGF
www.linkedin.com/in/carlwrightclgf
(M) +44 (0)7768 347152 (CLGF) +44 (0) 207 3891490
T E S T I M O N I A L S
BSc (Hon), MA
Secretary-General Emeritus and Ex Officio Board member
Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF)
“
“
Carl has much still to offer in public service to the United Kingdom, and indeed
to the international community. Given his sound knowledge of the workings of
governments and legislatures in many countries, and his numerous
international professional and personal contacts.
Rt Hon Helen Clark
Administrator UNDP and Prime Minister of New Zealand (1999–2008)
Mr Wright is highly competent and skilled in diplomacy and navigating the
sometime turbulent waters of international affairs
Archbishop Emeritus DesmondTutu
Nobel Laureate
You gave invaluable service to..... numerous Commonwealth and United Nations
committees and expert groups, as well as on election observer teams.You have
been a true Commonwealth exemplar.
Sir Shridath Ramphal
Commonwealth Secretary-General (1975-90)
I would like to commend Mr Wright who played an important role in the
Commonwealth and Africa, in particular in advancing the cause of local
democracy, good governance ...
HEYoweri Kaguta Museveni
President of Uganda
“
“
“ “
“ “