Faces of WHO – Pierre Roca

Pierre Roca – Resource Mobilization, WHO Regional Office, Denmark

Pierre Roca’s internationally-minded father spent a few years worrying about his young son’s reluctance to move abroad or even travel. However, much to his father’s relief, the formerly stationary Frenchman from Bordeaux eventually found his migration gene. Five countries and several employers later, Pierre ended up in Copenhagen, where he works for the WHO Regional Office for Europe as Regional Adviser, Resource Mobilization, in the Resource Mobilization and Alliances unit.

What drew you to WHO?

I have worked with WHO for two years, so in “WHO years” I am still a baby. Incidentally, many colleagues also say this about my actual age – 37. But I had always thought about working for WHO – it’s a United Nations organization, and it combines my interest in health with international cooperation and development, as well as international relations.

The story, in short, is that I had just returned from abroad and came across a WHO vacancy announcement. The job description sounded very interesting, and the fact that it was in Copenhagen was a huge bonus as my Danish wife’s stationing in Brussels was coming to an end, which meant that we would be returning to Denmark soon. However, my road towards WHO had many twists and turns.

Tell us about the twists and turns.

One can safely say that we’re not attached to traditional gender roles – I’m the one following my wife everywhere! (laughs). She’s clearly the one who has been calling the shots so far. I met Anne while studying in Bruges, Belgium. After completing my studies, I left for Copenhagen without a plan, at a time that turned out to be the onset of the financial crisis – perfect timing! I got a job with a large Danish pharmaceutical company, first stationed in Copenhagen, and later outposted to Algeria for two years as Public and Government Affairs Director for the Maghreb region. Meanwhile, my wife moved to Paris to pursue her second master’s degree. During my first year in Algiers, my wife commuted, and during the second year she commuted with our first-born, Leo! Those two years were kind of crazy. After Algiers we returned to Copenhagen, but soon moved again after she was hired by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She got a post in Brussels, where I worked for both the European Cancer Organisation and the European Commission. Now we are back in Copenhagen. Who knows where we might move to next?

And does Copenhagen feel like home?

Copenhagen – København in Danish – definitely lives up to the “havn” portion of its name, which means “harbour”. WHO and the Danish capital both do feel like home. That said, Anne is a diplomat and we are bound to move again at some point. However, after spending the first 20 years of my life in Bordeaux, I really don’t mind! I had very internationally-minded parents, who worked in Haiti for many years. My father, who is of Spanish descent but was born in Algeria, and my mother, who is of Italian descent but was born in Tunisia, were a bit concerned that I never wanted to travel or go to summer camps when I was a kid. Then, at the age of 20, I moved to Grenoble to study. It was perhaps not the most adventurous destination, but I haven’t stopped moving around since.

Back to your job. What does your job in resource mobilization entail?

Well, first of all, it’s not about me, it’s about the team. In short, our job is what you can call an enabling function: one could compare resource mobilization to finding fuel for a car to keep the engine running. It’s about supporting the organization to identify and negotiate resources so that it’s able to fulfill its mandate. This applies to country offices, regional divisions and programmes. As WHO, we need to mobilize partners and resources for the existence and functioning of the organization, and it’s rewarding to be doing something that has a clear purpose and meaning.

Speaking of purpose – how has your work affected others?

On the one hand, you have the big agreements such as those negotiated with the European Union last year for the COVID-19 response and COVID-19 vaccine deployment in the Eastern Partnership countries. As part of that agreement, WHO was able to deliver supplies, including personal protective equipment, ventilators, oxygen and other life-saving equipment, to several countries in the WHO European Region as part of the COVID-19 response. This type of agreement, with large cargo planes and supplies being flown in and essential technical assistance and capacity building being provided, is of course very tangible. However, our job is also very much about small victories, such as securing smaller grants in areas receiving less attention at the moment, like noncommunicable diseases, cancer, environmental health, health systems and others, or supporting the smaller country offices. It’s just as important and rewarding. It feels good to know that the funding you have secured will help improve the lives and health of people.

What keeps you healthy and charges your battery?

We are lucky to have a summer house here in Denmark. To my surprise, following the COVID-19 restrictions, I have found myself becoming more of a nature and summer house person than I would have expected. Being closer to nature has been nice, and I have even taken up paddleboarding. That said, I am more of a city person at heart. I am fuelled by everything to do with social life, so in that sense the pandemic really did take a big toll on extroverts like me and affected everything that I like – but it also helped me appreciate the value of social encounters. The same goes for travel. I don’t tend to engage in hobbies, but I do enjoy music, movies and documentaries. I have a big LP collection and two turntables. It’s always been a passion of mine – live concerts and good music like hip-hop, reggae and soul. My parents listened to quite a lot of Caribbean and African music. I probably developed a connection to the hip-hop part in my youth, especially the content of the lyrics and the somewhat revolutionary message of the songs. Speaking of recharging batteries, I can’t wait to go to a concert!

What concert would that be?

I listen to many different styles and there are many artists I’d like to see, but I think Nick Cave is brilliant and he would definitely be in my top five, even though I’m not a huge fan of rock music. His concert was supposed to take place last year. It was postponed to May, but ended up being cancelled, so he’s someone I would like to see live again. I hate these “pick one favourite” questions!

Pick your favourite book and album for a desert island.

“Half of a Yellow Sun” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. And because of the space music took up in my interview, I’ll pick two albums: “War Ina Babylon” by Max Romeo and “The Universe Smiles Upon You” by Khruangbin.

And who would you invite for dinner if you could invite anyone – present or historic? You don’t have to cook.

Probably my wife. I’m not one for eating with presidents. I’d have dinner with my wife.

WHO Regional Office for Europe: The Resource Mobilization and Alliances Unit (RMA)

• Staff: 8
• The Resource Mobilization and Alliances (RMA) unit operates within the Regional Director’s Division. It advises the Regional Office on its external strategy for relations and cooperation with key health and resource partners, and forges and maintains strategic alliances for the delivery of the European Programme of Work, 2020–2025 – “United Action for Better Health in Europe”; the Thirteenth General Programme of Work, 2019–2023; and the Sustainable Development Goals. The RMA unit also houses the coordination function for WHO collaborating centres.
• The RMA unit initiates and convenes United Nations agencies around health initiatives and work streams. It establishes, maintains and strengthens working relations with partners (including non-State actors and private sector entities) through regular meetings, discussions and agreements.
• The unit works closely with the WHO Representation to the European Union and with all technical units, WHO country offices, and staff in WHO HQ and other regions.