Gladwyn Jebb: The first leader of the UN

Gladwyn Jebb was appointed as Acting UN Secretary-General in October 1945, effectively making him the first leader of the United Nations.

• Categories: News & Features / Features / Stories from the UN Archive
• Video Length: 00:02:08
• Production Date: 16 January 2026
• Asset Language: English
• Personal Subject: GLADWYN JEBB
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS
• Subject Topical: UNITED NATIONS ORGANIZATION; HISTORY; AUDIOVISUAL ARCHIVES; INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION; MULTILATERALISM
• MAMS Id: 3525451
• Parent Id: 3525451

Description

Gladwyn Jebb was appointed as Acting UN Secretary-General in October 1945, effectively making him the first leader of the United Nations. Jebb was made a Counsellor within the Foreign Office of Great Britain in 1943. It was in this position that he attended numerous international conferences, including the Conference on International Organization in San Francisco - which ultimately led to the birth of the United Nations.