Dirk Salomons is the director of the Program for Humanitarian Affairs at the School of International Public Affairs, Columbia University, where he also heads the International Organizations specialization. In his research as well as in teaching, Salomons focuses on the interaction between policy and management in humanitarian operations; he has a particular interest in the transition from relief to recovery in countries coming out of conflict.
Prior to joining the SIPA faculty in 2002, Salomons served since 1997 as managing partner of the Praxis Group, Ltd., an international management consulting firm based in the USA and Switzerland, where he still plays an advisory role. Praxis works mainly with public service entities, applying its expertise in humanitarian assistance, peacekeeping, and post conflict recovery as well as in human resources management. Salomons is also a non-resident fellow at New York University's Center on International cooperation, working mainly on post-conflict stabilization issues.
From 1970-1997, Salomons served in a wide range of management, peace building, and policy advisory functions in several organizations of the United Nations system, including FAO, UNDP, UNAIDS, UNOPS, and the UN Secretariat. His most cherished assignment was that of executive director for the United Nations peacekeeping operation in Mozambique, from 1992 to 1993.
