Inga-Britt Ahlenius
Encyclopedia
Inga-Britt Monica Stigsdotter Ahlenius (born 19 April 1939) is a Swedish auditor, public servant and former Under-Secretary-General for United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services
(OIOS).
Ahlenius was born in Karlstad
, Sweden
. She holds a degree in business administration from the Stockholm School of Economics
and started her career working in the economic secretariat of Sweden's largest commercial bank, Handelsbanken
.
Between 1968 and 1993 she held various posts at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Ministry of Finance in Sweden, including as head of the Budget Department from 1987. Since 1993 she has been a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences
.
She served as Auditor General
of the Swedish National Audit Office
from 1993 to 2003.
There was some controversy when her term as Auditor General was over where she made several statements to media including that some of the government's proposed changes to the Audit Office would limit its ability to act independently.
Later in 2003 she served as Auditor General of Kosovo
.The previous controversy from 2003 was noted by Swedish media since Mrs. Ahlenius was proposed for the position by the United States
and not by her native Sweden
.
During her terms as Auditor General she held several international positions. She chaired the INTOSAI Auditing Standards Committee for eight years, and was chairman of the Governing Board of the European Organization for Supreme Audit Institutions (EUROSAI) during 1993 to 1996.
Ahlenius was also a member of the Committee of Independent Experts that was called for by the European Parliament
with a mandate to examine the way in which the European Commission
detects and deals with fraud, mismanagement and nepotism. Their report led to the resignation of the Commission.
Ahlenius was appointed Under-Secretary-General for United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services
for a five-year term starting on 15 July 2005. After this assignment, her open critique of Ban Ki-moon
's leadership has been severe. Mr Chance, the title of Ekdal's and Ahlenius's book, is an ironic reference to Chance the Gardener, the character in novel and 1979 comedy-drama film Being There
.
United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services
The United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services is a United Nations organ whose primary purpose is to perform world-wide audit, investigation, inspection, programme monitoring, evaluation and consulting services to the United Nations Secretariat and the rest of the United Nations...
(OIOS).
Ahlenius was born in Karlstad
Karlstad
Karlstad is a city, the seat of Karlstad Municipality, the capital of Värmland County, and the largest city in the province Värmland in Sweden. The city had 61,685 inhabitants in 2010 out of a municipal total that during the first quarter 2010 was 84,885 inhabitants...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. She holds a degree in business administration from the Stockholm School of Economics
Stockholm School of Economics
The Stockholm School of Economics or Handelshögskolan i Stockholm is one of Northern Europe's leading business schools. Its Masters in Management program is ranked no. 2 in Northern Europe and no. 13 in Europe by the Financial Times...
and started her career working in the economic secretariat of Sweden's largest commercial bank, Handelsbanken
Handelsbanken
Svenska Handelsbanken AB is a Swedish bank.-History of Svenska Handelsbanken:The history of Svenska Handelsbanken goes back to 1871 when a number of prominent companies and individuals in Stockholm's business world founded Stockholms Handelsbank...
.
Between 1968 and 1993 she held various posts at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Ministry of Finance in Sweden, including as head of the Budget Department from 1987. Since 1993 she has been a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences
Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences
The Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences or Kungl. Ingenjörsvetenskapsakademien , founded in 1919 by King Gustaf V, is one of the Royal Academies in Sweden...
.
She served as Auditor General
Auditor General
- Auditor General of National Audit Offices :*Auditor General of the Australian National Audit Office*Auditor General of Canada*Auditor General of China*Auditor General of Pakistan*Auditor General for Scotland*Auditor-General...
of the Swedish National Audit Office
Swedish National Audit Office
The Swedish National Audit Office audits the activities of the Swedish government. All government agencies are required to submit copies of their annual accounts and reports to this office for review....
from 1993 to 2003.
There was some controversy when her term as Auditor General was over where she made several statements to media including that some of the government's proposed changes to the Audit Office would limit its ability to act independently.
Later in 2003 she served as Auditor General of Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
.The previous controversy from 2003 was noted by Swedish media since Mrs. Ahlenius was proposed for the position by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and not by her native Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
During her terms as Auditor General she held several international positions. She chaired the INTOSAI Auditing Standards Committee for eight years, and was chairman of the Governing Board of the European Organization for Supreme Audit Institutions (EUROSAI) during 1993 to 1996.
Ahlenius was also a member of the Committee of Independent Experts that was called for by the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
with a mandate to examine the way in which the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
detects and deals with fraud, mismanagement and nepotism. Their report led to the resignation of the Commission.
Ahlenius was appointed Under-Secretary-General for United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services
United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services
The United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services is a United Nations organ whose primary purpose is to perform world-wide audit, investigation, inspection, programme monitoring, evaluation and consulting services to the United Nations Secretariat and the rest of the United Nations...
for a five-year term starting on 15 July 2005. After this assignment, her open critique of Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...
's leadership has been severe. Mr Chance, the title of Ekdal's and Ahlenius's book, is an ironic reference to Chance the Gardener, the character in novel and 1979 comedy-drama film Being There
Being There
Being There is a 1979 American comedy-drama film directed by Hal Ashby. Adapted from the 1971 novella written by Jerzy Kosinski, the screenplay was coauthored by Kosinski and Robert C. Jones. The film stars Peter Sellers, Shirley MacLaine, Melvyn Douglas, Jack Warden, Richard A...
.
External links
- The Biography of Inga-Britt Ahlenius, UN.
- Ännu inget nytt jobb för Ahlenius, [Ahlenius still jobless], AftonbladetAftonbladetAftonbladet is a Swedish tabloid founded by Lars Johan Hierta in 1830 during the modernization of Sweden. It is one of the larger daily newspapers in the Nordic countries. Aftonbladet is owned by the Swedish Trade Union Confederation and Norwegian media group Schibsted, and its editorial page...
, 13 September 2000. - Statens hårdaste kritiker, [The state's harshest critic], Dagens NyheterDagens Nyheteris a daily newspaper in Sweden. It has the largest circulation of Swedish morning newspapers, followed by Göteborgs-Posten and Svenska Dagbladet, and is the only morning newspaper that is distributed to subscribers across the whole country. In 2009 DN had a circulation of 316,000, reaching 881...
, 29 September 2005.