Biography
Hovig Etyemezian is the Head of Innovation at UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, where he leads the organization's work on AI, digital inclusion, data innovation, and refugee-led solutions for over 112 million forcibly displaced people worldwide. Under his leadership, UNHCR's Innovation Service runs four global funds supporting projects from AI-powered early warning systems for displacement to digital livelihoods for refugee communities. Hovig has served in complex humanitarian emergencies across Lebanon, DR Congo, Iraq, Jordan, Algeria, Mauritania, and Tunisia. Prior to his humanitarian career, he worked in human rights, peacebuilding, and journalism. He studied at the University for Peace, a UN-mandated institution.