Joint United Nations Programme on AIDS/HIV (UNAIDS)

From January to November 2009, Robert served as strategic communication adviser and speechwriter for Michel Sidibe, UNAIDS’ Executive Director.

He worked closely with Mr. Sidibe and his Geneva-based team to reposition AIDS at the heart of the Millennium Development Goals at a time when the world’s attention was focused on the global economic meltdown and the outbreak of pandemic influenza.

Rain Barrel contributed ideas and language for speeches in which Mr. Sidibe articulated a new paradigm for the struggle against the pandemic, emphasizing prevention, an end to homophobia and violence against women, increased support to social movements and the mainstreaming of AIDS into a holistic global public health strategy.